We know very little about Saints Joachim and Anne, except that legend names them as the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Catholic Church celebrates the feast of this holy married couple on July 26.
The little we do know about them comes largely from a document called the “Gospel of James.” This document is not a Gospel in the same sense of the four Gospels found in the Bible.
Rather, this “Gospel” is an apocryphal document from the second century whose origin is uncertain. But even though it is not considered to be the inspired Word of God, the document does give us some information about Mary’s parents, including their names.
It also says that Mary was promised to Joachim and Anne by an angel after they’d been childless for many years and were advanced in age.
It says that they suffered for many years in their unfulfilled desire to have a family. Another thing we find in the “Gospel of James” is that Anne promised to dedicate her child to God.
Traditionally, the Church venerates Anne as the patron saint of mothers and of women in labor. Joachim and Anne together are venerated as the patron saints of grandparents, since they were the grandparents of Christ.
It’s true that we know little about these two. But the information we can infer about them from their offspring is a pretty good indication that we’d do well to turn to them for example and intercession if we’re searching for a spouse.
Joachim and Anne were the first educators of Mary
Though we don’t know much for certain about Joachim and Anne, we do know quite a bit about their daughter.
We know that Mary was free from sin her entire life. While the grace of her Immaculate Conception certainly played the biggest part in her sinlessness, we can infer that she most likely had an excellent upbringing as well.
Apart from merely avoiding sin her whole life, Mary showed constant virtue and deep devotion.
She was also level-headed and intelligent, and she was devoted to her extended family as well.
All these traits point to parents who were examples of virtue and of strong character themselves. Joachim and Anne were most likely very saintly parents and examples of what marital love would look like.
A strong commitment to family
If legends and apocryphal sources are true, then Joachim and Anne were childless for many years. But as they lived out their married life, they desired to expand their love through children.
They longed for family life, and God granted the desire in a much grander way than they probably imagined.
This desire to devote themselves to familial life most likely continued on as their raised their sinless daughter. Because we can see that Mary grew up amidst a large extended family and raised her Son among her relatives.
The Gospels tell us that Jesus had “brothers,” who came to see him. The word used in Scripture for “brothers” is the same as was used for cousins. We know that Mary was a virgin her whole life, so it’s probable that these “brothers” were in fact cousins of Jesus who grew up closely with Him.
As a married couple, Joachim and Anne must have seen the importance of familial life and of the love that could be shared among family members. Then, they raised their daughter to understand this, too.
Their devotion to God
Even though Mary was free from sin, she still would have needed to be educated in religious matters and brought up in her faith.
Joachim and Anne chose to dedicate their daughter to God, and she grew up being formed in devotion to him. When God granted them a child after years of painful childlessness, they wanted to properly thank him and praise him for giving them a child when it had seemed impossible.
This is yet another area where Joachim and Anne can be a great example for us.
For any of us who are on a long journey of seeking to find a spouse to have a family with, this couple can be a strong intercessor. They spent so many years in hope of family life even though it seemed impossible.
The paradox of their obscurity
It’s interesting that we know so little of Joachim and Anne, because their importance was very great. They were the grandparents of our Savior, and in raising his mother, they set the tone for generations to come.
Perhaps there is much we can learn from their obscurity. They did not gain worldly fame or notoriety for themselves during their lives. Instead, they quietly lived out holiness in their family and allowed God to use them in secret.
For any of us hoping and praying to find a spouse, Joachim and Anne can be an example of quiet perseverance. They were faithful. They understood just what a great vocation family life should be.
Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us!
