St. Anne

Saint Anne

Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Anne’s name in Hebrew, Hannah, means “grace” or “favor”. She was married to Joachim, a fellow descendant of King David, and tradition tells that both were elderly when they were blessed with the Virgin Mary as their child. The Venerable Mary of Ágreda relates that the angel Gabriel himself was sent twice to Anne, first to reveal God’s Will that she should marry Joachim, and then again to reveal that she would bear a daughter named Mary, who would conceive and bring forth the Savior. The conception of Mary by Anne and Joachim is rightly honored as the Immaculate Conception, for Mary was conceived with no stain of original sin, and the Venerable Mary also tells us that Anne was purified by God to a wonderfully high degree in consequence of Our Lady’s conception. Though Anne and Joachim were long honored in the East, devotion to them in the West is a more recent, though fervent, development, and both are hailed as patrons of grandparents. In the modern calendar Anne and Joachim share today’s feast, while in the traditional calendar Anne is honored on her own today while Joachim’s feast is August 16th, the day after the Feast of the Assumption.

Traditional Roman Martyrology for July 26th

THE departure out of this life of St. Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God.

At Philippi, in Macedonia, the birthday [into heaven] of St. Erastus, who was appointed bishop of that place by the blessed apostle Paul, and there crowned with martyrdom.

At Rome, on the Latin road, the holy martyrs Symphronius, Olympius, Theodulus, and Exuperia, who (as we read in the Acts of pope St. Stephen) were burnt alive, and thus obtained the palm of martyrdom.

At Porto, St. Hyacinth, martyr, who was first thrown into the fire, and then precipitated into a stream without being injured. Afterwards, under the emperor Trajan, being struck with the sword by the ex-consul Leontius, he terminated his life. His body was buried by the matron Julia, on her own estate near Rome.

Also, at Rome, St. Pastor, priest. His name is used to designate a cardinal’s title in the church of St. Pudentiana, on the Viminal hill.

At Verona, St. Valens, bishop and confessor.

In the monastery of St. Benedict, near Mantua, St. Simeon, monk and hermit, who was renowned for many miracles, and at an advanced age rested in the Lord.

℣. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.

℟. Thanks be to God.