Saint Anne
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| Saint Anne | |
|---|---|
The Holy Family with Joachim and Anne, drawn by Hans Holbein the Younger
| |
| Mother of Mary | |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Canonized | 1854 |
| Feast | July 26 |
| Attributes | book, door, with Mary, Jesus, or Joachim |
| Patronage | Adjuntas, Puerto Rico; Brittany; Canada; carpenters; childless people; Detroit, Michigan; equestrians; France; grandparents; homemakers/housewives; lace makers; lost articles; miners; mothers; Norwich, Connecticut; old-clothes dealers; poverty; pregnancy; Quebec; Santa Ana Pueblo; seamstresses; stablemen; sterility; Taos, New Mexico; turners; Marsascala |
| Families that are truly Christian love the Family of Nazareth, but they also honor the parents of Mary, especially Saint Anne who bore and gave birth to her. How glorious to give birth to one who would be the Mother of God! May we who have devotion to you, Saint Anne, obtain even more devotion to Mary and the greatest devotion to Christ, your grandson. Amen The Catholic Community Forum | |
Anna, also known as St. Anne, is known by tradition as the mother of The Virgin Mary.
According to the non-canonical Gospel of James, Anna and her husband Joachim, after years of childlessness, were visited by an angel who told them that they would conceive a child. Anna promised to dedicate the child to God's service. Joachim and Anna brought Mary to live in the Second Temple when Mary was about three years old. St. Anne is a patron saint of Quebec and Brittany, and patroness of women in labor and miners.
The story is similar to the story of Samuel whose mother had also been childless and was named Hannah. The story was not accepted in the Western church until the 13th century although, in the Eastern church, dedications to Saint Anna date to the 6th century. In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, Anna is ascribed the title Forbear of God.
In Western iconography, Anna may be recognised by her depiction in red robe and green mantle, often holding a book. Images may also be found depicting Anna holding a small Mary who in turn holds an infant Christ — more elaborate carved statuettes open up to reveal Mary inside Anna with Christ in turn inside her. Such trinitarian representations mirror similar depictions of God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and were sometimes produced as pairs.
In the 4th century, and then much later in the 15th century, a belief arose that Mary was born of Anna by virgin birth. This was denied as an error by the Vatican in 1677. However, it is held that Mary's was an Immaculate Conception.
Her feast day is 26 July (Western calendar) and 25 July (Eastern calendar).
See also
- redirect
External links
- [Saint Anne] in the Catholic Encyclopedia
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