Feast of St. Anne & St. Joachim

Today is the feast day of St. Anne and St. Joachim, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the grandparents of Jesus.

Joachim and Anne were a rich and pious couple who found themselves childless. They viewed their infertility as a curse -- a punishment from God. Anne cried out to God for mercy, asking that this curse be removed. She and Joseph both desired to have a child and they promised to dedicate their first born to the service of God.

An angel appeared to Anne and told her, "The Lord has looked upon thy tears; thou shalt conceive and give birth and the fruit of thy womb shall be blessed by all the world". Joachim also received the same message from the angel. Anne gave birth to a daughter who she called Miriam (Mary).

St. Anne is the patron saint of the province of Quebec, where the well-known shrine of St. Anne de Beaupré is located. St. Anne is patroness of women in labor and those who have difficulty conceiving; she is represented holding the Blessed Virgin Mary in her lap, who again carries on her arm the Child Jesus. She is also patroness of miners, Christ being compared to gold, Mary to silver.

Prayer to Saint Anne

Glorious Saint Anne, we think of you as filled with compassion for those who invoke you and with love for those who suffer. Heavily laden with the weight of my troubles, I cast myself at your feet and humbly beg of you to take the present affair which I commend to you under your special protection. {mention your petition}

Deign to commend it to your daughter, our Blessed Lady, and lay it before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy conclusion. Cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted. Above all, obtain for me the grace of one day beholding my God face to face. With you and Mary and all the saints, may I praise and bless Him for all eternity. Amen.

Good Saint Anne, mother of her who is our life, our sweetness and our hope, pray for me.
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