About Saint Anna, the Ancestor of Christ

In the Greek Orthodox Church, St. Anna holds a special and revered place as the mother of the Theotokos, the Mother of God, the Virgin Mary. Her life and her pivotal role in the salvation history are celebrated with deep respect, particularly during the feast day of the Nativity of the Theotokos, which is observed on September 8. St. Anna's story, while not extensively detailed in the Scriptures, is found primarily in apocryphal writings, such as the Protoevangelium of James, which was influential in shaping the early Church's understanding of her holiness. The Greek Orthodox Church regards her as a model of faith, obedience, and maternal love, who, through her prayers and devotion to God, brought forth the most important woman in salvation history.

St. Anna and her husband, Joachim, were a devout Jewish couple, described in tradition as righteous and blameless, yet they suffered the grief of being childless for many years. Their advanced age and infertility had led to sorrow and a deep longing for a child. The couple’s faith remained unwavering, and it was through their fervent prayers and the grace of God that Anna conceived the Virgin Mary. The birth of Mary was viewed as a miraculous answer to their prayers, and it is in this context that St. Anna is honored as a woman of incredible faith and patience. Her story embodies the powerful theme of God's providence, showing that God fulfills His promises, often in ways that surpass human understanding.

St. Anna's maternal role is also of great significance in the Greek Orthodox tradition. As the mother of the Theotokos, she is venerated not only for her personal holiness but also for her unique connection to Mary, the one who would give birth to the Savior of the world. In Orthodox theology, the Theotokos is the highest of all saints, and as her mother, St. Anna is considered a spiritual ancestor to all who venerate the Virgin Mary. The Orthodox Church sees in St. Anna a model of sanctity and humility, a woman who prepared and nurtured the one who would become the most exalted of all creatures. Through her, the Church sees a profound connection between the human and the divine, as it was through her womb that the Theotokos was brought into the world.

Throughout the centuries, St. Anna has been honored by the Greek Orthodox Church with prayers, hymns, and feasts. Her life and virtues are held up as an example for all faithful to follow, especially in the context of marriage, family, and motherhood. The Orthodox Church's devotion to St. Anna emphasizes her purity, grace, and trust in God's plan. The veneration of St. Anna also highlights the importance of women in the life of the Church and their role in God's redemptive work. By honoring her as the mother of the Theotokos, the Church affirms the sanctity of motherhood and the divine blessings that come through devotion to God and the fulfillment of His will.

Dormition of St. Anna, mother of the Theotokos - July 25

 

Reading

According to tradition, Anna, the ancestor of God, lived for sixty-nine years, and her spouse Joachim, for eighty; according to one account, Saint Joachim died two years before Saint Anna. The Theotokos had been orphaned of both her parents already when she was eleven years of age, when she was living in the Temple (see Sept. 8 and Nov. 21). Saint Anna is invoked for conceiving children, and for help in difficult childbirth.

Apolytikion of Dormition of St. Anna

Fourth Tone

O God-minded Anna, you bore the pure Mother of God, the one who within her conceived the Conceiver of life itself. You were therefore transported to a place now in heaven. Joyful ones all reside there in the home of all gladness, asking for forgiveness for those who honor you, O blessed one.

Kontakion of Dormition of St. Anna

Second Tone

We celebrate now the mem'ry of Christ's ancestors, while asking their help with faith, that we may all be saved from all manner of tribulation as we fervently cry aloud: Be thou with us, O Lord our God, Whose pleasure it was to glorify them both.

 

The Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos - December 9

 

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According to the ancient tradition of the Church, since Saint Anna, the Ancestor of God, was barren, she and her husband Joachim remained without children until old age. Therefore, sorrowing over their childlessness, they besought God with a promise that, if He were to grant them the fruit of the womb, they would offer their offspring to Him as a gift. And God, hearkening to their supplication, informed them through an Angel concerning the birth of the Virgin. And thus, through God's promise, Anna conceived according to the laws of nature, and was deemed worthy to become the mother of the Mother of our Lord (see also Sept. 8).

Apolytikion of Conception of the Theotokos

Fourth Tone

Against all hope, the bonds of barrenness are loosed today. For, God has hearkened unto Joachim and Anna clearly promising that they would bear a godly maiden. He who commanded the angel to cry out to her, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you," will be born of her, the infinite One Himself, becoming man.

Kontakion of Conception of the Theotokos

Fourth Tone

Today the world rejoices in the conception of Anna, wrought by God. For she bore the One who beyond comprehension conceived the Logos.