Saint Anne was born in Bethlehem and married Joachim from Nazareth in Galilee. Joachim was a shepherd given the task of supplying the temple of Jerusalem with sheep for sacrifices.
After twenty years of marriage Anne and Joachim had no children. Once, when Joachim overheard ridicule because of their childless state, he is said to have gone into the desert to plead with God to give them a child. After a time of fasting an angel appeared to assure Joachim he and Anne would be given a child they were to name Mary and dedicate to God.
In the meantime Saint Anne wondered where her husband had gone and in her despair at having been barren she prayed while she watched newborn birds in their nests in her garden. She cried out, “Why was I born, Lord?” That is when angel appeared to tell her she would soon give birth to a daughter she was to name Mary. The story continues with Anne and Joachim’s joyous reunion at the golden gate of Jerusalem.
After her birth Anne and Joachim dedicated Mary to God at the temple of Jerusalem and she spent much of her childhood there. When Mary was fourteen they betrothed her to Joseph of Nazareth and so Mary’s story continues with the birth of her son, Jesus, and his life on earth.
The life of Saint Anne and her connection as holy mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus was very popular to early Christians. In the year 550 a church was built in honor of St. Anne in Jerusalem. It is believed to be near where Anne, Joachim and Mary lived.
Since the Seventh Century the Greek and Russian Churches have celebrated feasts honoring St. Joachim and St. Ann. The Western Churches began to celebrate the feast of St. Anne in the Sixteenth Century.
The feast of St. Anne is July 26th. There is no mention of Anne in the New Testament. The story of St. Anne comes chiefly from the Protoevangelium of James which only dated back to the second century.
St. Anne, patron saint of mothers and women in labor and minors, is symbolized by Mary in her lap holding the infant Jesus.
Saint Anne’s symbols are her careful instruction of Mary; crown; nest of young birds; door; Golden Gate of Jerusalem; infant Virgin in crib. Her shield has a silver border masoned in black, with silver lily on a blue field referring to the girlhood of the Virgin. She is often pictured as the Woman holding Mary or Jesus in her arms or lap; Woman at her betrothal to Joachim; Mother teaching Mary to read the Bible; Woman greeting Saint Joachim at Golden Gate; Woman with a book in her hand.
Joachim symbols are a Basket containing doves; model of Golden Gate of Jerusalem. He is pictured as a man bringing a lamb to the altar; greeting and/or kissing Saint Anne at the GoldenGate; elderly man carrying a basket of doves and an elderly man with the child Mary.
The most celebrated sight of St. Anne feast day is the annual ten day Saint Anne’s Solemn Novena made at Saint Anne’s Monastery Church at the Shrine of St. Anne de Beaupre in Quebec, Canada. The ten day novena ends on July 26th, the feast of St Anne.
Prayer
Prayer for some comes as easy as thought. For others, prayer is a solemn recitation. There is no set time or place to pray. In that sense prayer is defined by the individual. Prayer may be spoken on ones knees, with hands clasped, sitting, standing, holding hands with others or hand uplifted. The position of the body is irrelevant. What is relevant are the thoughts and concentration that travel through the mind during times of prayer. For some prayer is a continual commune with God throughout each day, inviting God’s attention to all tasks, be they menial or phenomenal life-changing occurrences. Some pray only in times of necessity; others pray constantly. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2559), “Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.”
St Anne Prayer (To Obtain Some Special Favor)
Glorious St. Anne, filled with compassion for those who invoke you and with love for those who suffer, heavily laden with the weight of my troubles, I cast myself at your feet and humbly beg of you to take the present affair which I recommend to you under your special protection.
St. Anne, please, recommend to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and lay it before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue.
St. Anne cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted. (Here ask for favor you wish to obtain.)
Above all, obtain for me the grace of one day beholding my God face to face, and with You and Mary and all the saints, praising and blessing Him through all eternity. Amen.
Good St. Anne, mother of her who is our life, our sweetness and our hope, pray to her for us and obtain our request. (Three times).
Parents Prayer to St. Anne
We call upon you, dear St. Anne, for help in bringing up our family in good and godly ways. Teach us to trust God our Father as we rear the precious heritage entrusted to us. May His will prevail in our lives and His providence defend us. These blessings we ask for all families in our neighborhood, our country, and our world. Amen.
St Ann Prayer
Good St. Anne, you were especially favored by God to be the mother of the most holy Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Savior. By your power with your most pure daughter and with her divine Son, kindly obtain for us the grace and the favor we now seek. Please secure for us also forgiveness of our past sins, the strength to perform faithfully our daily duties and the help we need to persevere in the love of Jesus and Mary. Amen.
Saint Anne Prayer
Good St. Anne, you were especially favored by God to be the mother of the most holy Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Savior. By your power with your most pure daughter and with her divine Son, kindly obtain for us the grace and the favor we now seek. Please secure for us also forgiveness of our past sins, the strength to perform faithfully our daily duties and the help we need to persevere in the love of Jesus and Mary. Amen.
Prayer to Saint Anne
Lord, God of our fathers, through Sts. Joachim and Anne, You gave us the Mother of Your Incarnate Son. May their prayers help us to attain the salvation You promised to Your people. Amen.
Saint Anne Prayer
Good Saint Anne, obtain for me an increase of faith in the great mystery of the Holy Eucharist. Help me to see in this great Sacrament Christ our High Priest, making real for me the saving grace of His death on the cross; feeding my soul with His Flesh and Blood so that I may live in Him and He in me; producing the unity of the people of God and gathering His Church together. By your powerful intercession with God, help me to center my life around the altar that I may inherit the promise of the Lord: “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood, has life everlasting.” Amen.
Prayer to Saint Anne for Special Needs
We thank you, dear St. Anne, for the favors, known and unknown, you have obtained for us. Assured of your constant love, we bring our special needs to you. (mention them here) Mother of the Mother of the Eternal Word made flesh, kindly recommend to your Grandson, Jesus, these intentions we lift to you in confident prayer. Amen.Children’s Prayer to St. Anne
Good St. Anne, you must have loved your parents just like we love Mom and Dad. They love us so much and take care of all our needs. Help us to make them happy every day. Thank you, dear Grandmother of Jesus, for listening to our prayer. Amen.
Teenager’s Prayer to St. Anne
Dear St. Anne, Mother of the Mother of God-become-human, please bless our parents who said “yes” to life. Warm our hearts with love for them. May we give them every reason for joy, not distress. Into your hands we commit our future. Teach us to say “yes” to God’s plan for us in all the years ahead. Amen.
A Memorare to St. Anne
Remember, dear St. Anne, that your name means “grace.” Confident in your power before the Throne of Grace, we implore your intercession. Share with us the faith, hope, and love that made your life a tribute of praise to the Lord God Almighty. May our days be grace filled and secure under your protection. Amen.
Daily St. Anne’s Prayer
Dear St. Anne, you never tire of assisting those who recommend themselves to you. Trusting not in our merits but in your powerful intercession, we request your help through this present day with all its duties and responsibilities, all its situations whether happy or anguishing. And when “tomorrow” becomes today, assist us anew for God’s glory and our good. Amen.
ROSARY Prayer OF ST. ANNE
The Chaplet consists of 3 groups of 5 beads, separated by a single bead.
The 1st group of beads say: “In honor of Jesus”, 1 Our Father and 5 Hail Mary’s.After each Hail Mary say:” Jesus, Mary and St. Anne, grant the favor I request.”
The 2nd group of beads say: “In honor of Mary”, 1 Our Father and 5 Hail Mary’s.After each Hail Mary say: “Jesus, Mary and St. Anne, grant the favor I request.”The 3rd group of beads say: “In honor of St. Anne,” 1 Our Father and 5 Hail Mary’s. After each Hail Mary say: “Jesus, Mary and St. Anne, grant the favor I request.”