Saint Anne. Mother Of The Blessed Virgin Mary. Feast Day 26 July.

English: Virgin and Child with Saint Anne.

Deutsch: Anna selbdritt.

Date: 1883.

Source: Das Leben der Heiligen Gottes

Author: Otto Bitschnau.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Text from “The Liturgical Year”.
   By: Abbot Guéranger, O.S.B.
      Volume 13.
      Time After Pentecost.
      Book IV.

Uniting the blood of Kings with that of Pontiffs, the glory of Saint Anne’s illustrious origin is far surpassed by that of her offspring, without compare among the daughters of Eve.

The noblest of all who have ever conceived by virtue of the command to “increase and multiply”, beholds the law of human generation pause before her as having arrived at its summit, at the threshold of God; for, from her fruit, God Himself is to come forth , the fatherless Son of The Blessed Virgin, and the grand-son of Anne and Joachim.

Before being favoured with the greatest Blessing ever bestowed on an Earthly union, the two holy grand-parents of The Word Made Flesh had to pass through the purification of suffering.

Traditions which, though mingled with details of less authenticity, have come down to us from the very beginning of Christianity, tells us of these noble spouses subjected to the trial of prolonged sterility, and on that account despised by their people; of Joachim cast out of the Temple and going to hide his sorrow in the desert; of Anne, left alone to mourn her widowhood and humiliation.

For exquisite sentiment, this narrative might be compared with the most beautiful histories in Holy Scripture.

The Feast of Saint Joachim, which The Church Celebrates on the day following the Feast Day of his Blessed Daughter’s Assumption, will give us an occasion of completing the account of these trials and joys in which he shared.

Warned from Heaven to leave the desert, he met his spouse at The Golden Gate, which leads to the Temple on The East Side. Not far from here now stands the restored Basilica of Saint Anne, originally called Saint Mary of the Nativity.

Here, as in a peaceful Paradise, The Rod of Jesse produced that Blessed Branch which the Prophet hailed as about to bear the flower that had blossomed from eternity in the bosom of The Father.

It is true that Sepphoris, Anne’s native City [Editor: Sepphoris, about four miles from Nazareth, was known as “The Jewel of Galilee”], and Nazareth, where Mary lived, dispute with the Holy City of Jerusalem the honour which ancient and constant tradition assigns to Jerusalem.

But our homage will not be misdirected if we offer it today to Blessed Saint Anne, in whom were wrought the prodigies, the very thought of which brings new joy to Heaven, rage to Satan, and triumph to the World.