Righteous Ancestors of God Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna

Righteous Joachim and Anna came from pious families: Joachim from the tribe and house of King David, Anna from a priestly family (daughter of Matthan). After many years of marriage they remained childless, which in Old Testament society was seen as a sign of divine displeasure and brought social reproach. When the high priest refused to accept Joachim's temple offering because of his childlessness, he withdrew in sorrow to the wilderness for fasting and prayer, while Anna at home prayed and fasted, grieving over her barrenness.

The Archangel Gabriel appeared separately to each of them, announcing that a daughter would be born to them whom "all generations would glorify." Joachim and Anna met and embraced at the Golden Gate of Jerusalem — an episode that became the basis of the well-known "Meeting at the Golden Gate" iconography. Mary was born in Jerusalem and raised by her parents in piety; at the age of three she was brought by them into the Jerusalem Temple.

Righteous Joachim reposed at the age of 80; Righteous Anna at the age of 79, two years after her husband, having spent her final years near her daughter at the Temple. They were buried in Gethsemane, near the later tombs of Mary and Righteous Joseph the Betrothed. Relics of St. Anna are partly venerated on Mount Athos, at the Skete of St. Anna.

IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION OF COMMEMORATION DATES: the original stub listed three unstructured dates ("September 9/22/December 22") as a single feast. In fact these are TWO SEPARATE old/new-style date pairs marking different events: September 9/22 — the Synaxis of the Righteous Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna (the day after the Nativity of the Theotokos, September 8/21); December 9/22 — the Conception of the Most Holy Theotokos by Righteous Anna. A third date, absent from the stub, has additionally been established and added — July 25/August 7, the Repose of Righteous Anna.