Not much, and most of it comes from the apocryphal second-century Protoevangelium of James. The Church has never officially approved this ancient text, but some of the traditions it preserves about Sts. Joachim and Anne have become part of Catholic piety.
Legend or not, the stories of this holy couple’s life offer powerful lessons for us today, such as:
Pursue holiness with your spouse
The Church hasn’t canonized many married saints. But they demonstrate that holiness is possible even for married people living in the world.
We can infer from Mary's deep prayer life that her parents were people of prayer. The Protoevangelium confirms this and records Joachim fasting for forty days and nights and visiting the Temple with Anne. Despite their many hardships, they put their trust in God and persevered in their faith.
Trust God against all odds
One of the most beautiful stories in the Protoevangelium relates how the elderly Joachim and Anne were never able to conceive a child. This caused them great sorrow, especially since children were seen as a sign of God's blessing in ancient Israel. Childlessness was sometimes viewed as a curse.
But an angel appeared to Anne, saying, “Anne, the Lord has heard your prayer, and you shall conceive, and shall bring forth; and your seed shall be spoken of in all the world.” Even though she was well beyond her childbearing years, Anne conceived the Blessed Virgin Mary, who indeed has been spoken of throughout the world for the past two millennia.
Offer your children to God at an early age
Again, we can infer from Mary’s devout life that her parents taught her to know and love God from an early age. The Protoevangelium says that when Anne received the news that she would bear a child, she replied, “As the Lord my God lives, if I beget either male or female, I will bring it as a gift to the Lord my God; and it shall minister to Him in holy things all the days of its life.”
After Mary was born, they took her to the Temple at age three, and the priest blessed her and prophesied that through her, the Lord would reveal His plan of redemption to Israel.
Again, we don't know whether this story is historically accurate. We do know that Mary consecrated her virginity to God at an early age and later entered into marriage with St. Joseph. It makes sense that her parents would play an important role in nurturing the faith and virtue that prepared her for her unique vocation.
Sts. Joachim and Anne, pray for us!
Whether every detail preserved by tradition is historical or not, Sts. Joachim and Anne remain inspiring models of faithful marriage. Their example reminds us that holiness often begins in the home, where faith is lived daily.
May all parents and grandparents look to Sts. Joachim and Anne for inspiration, and may we confidently ask for their prayers as we strive to lead our own families closer to Christ.
