Saint Anna, the righteous, was the daughter of the priest Matthan of the line of Aaron. Her husband, Saint Joachim, came from the tribe of Judah and the house of King David. The couple lived in Nazareth, offering gifts generously to the Temple, yet remained childless until old age, praying fervently for a child.
During a feast, the high priest refused Joachim’s offering, believing him without God’s blessing. Grieved, he went into the desert for forty days of fasting and prayer. Anna, in tears, prayed for a child and vowed to dedicate it to the Lord. An angel announced to both that they would have a daughter, Mary, through whom all nations would be blessed.
Saint Anna conceived and bore the Holy Virgin Mary. Until the age of three, Mary was raised at home, then solemnly brought by her parents to the Temple, where she grew to maturity.
