Joachim and Saint Anne parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Biography

Virgin Mary. They are two names full of greatness in the eyes of God, greatness that is hidden in simplicity and humility. Two names with a wonderful and providential meaning. JOAQUÍN means: preparation of the Lord, work and perseverance. ANA, means: love and prayer. The delay did not drown out the longings of Joaquín and Ana. They were approaching the twilight of life without children. But they continued praying and insisting on the Lord with inflamed prayer. His hope remained intact. Anna's prayers were heard. An angel - according to some, the same one from the Annunciation - appears to Ana at the Golden Door of the temple and prophecies the birth of a Girl who will be called Mary and will be the Lord's favorite. In Anna's sterile womb the fullness of grace germinated. In her womb the sublime MYSTERY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY was realized "WONDER OF WONDERS AND ABYSS OF MIRACLES," says Saint John Damascene. The virtues of these two spouses are manifested to us by their fruit, just as the Lord tells us: "A GOOD TREE CANNOT PRODUCE BAD FRUITS. YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY ITS FRUITS." The fruit of these two saints was superior to natural law, since they gave birth to the Immaculate Mother of God and Queen of the Angels for the world. We can say about Joaquín and Ana that if God chose them for such an admirable work, those two hearts must have been great. If they were to educate the one God chose as the Mother of his Son, how much sweetness, goodness and beauty would there be in those souls! For they had been destined by God to be the parents of a peerless Girl, not only without blemish, but full of grace, "THE FULL OF GRACE", the blessed among women, the beautiful, the graceful, Mary: "HIGH PLACE WHERE GOD Dwells". The cult of San Joaquín is more recent. But the cult of St. Anne is very old. In Jerusalem there is the church of St. Anne, near the Temple. According to Tradition, Joaquín and Ana lived there. And, according to the opinion of many holy Fathers, the Dawn of Our Salvation, the Virgin Mary, was born there.