Saint of the Day

01 · Read · A life to discover

St. Anne

Anne is the traditional name of Mary’s mother and Jesus’ grandmother. The canonical Gospels do not name Mary’s parents. The names Anne and Joachim, and stories about their longing for a child, come from early noncanonical Christian writings, especially the Protoevangelium of James.

The best-known traditional narrative describes a childless couple whose prayers are answered with the birth of Mary. It also relates a promise to dedicate their child to God. Its resemblance to biblical stories of Hannah and Samuel helps explain its religious language, but does not make it part of the canonical Gospel record.

Devotion to Anne developed in Eastern Christianity and later spread widely in the West. That history explains her prominence in religious art even though the New Testament supplies no personal narrative about her. Depictions of Anne with Mary express devotional reflection on family and faith across generations.

Those writings influenced Christian devotion and art, but do not establish a documented chronology of Anne’s life. Her importance in Catholic devotion centers on Mary’s family and the transmission of faith between generations. The Church celebrates Anne and Joachim together on July 26; precise birth dates and elaborate family histories should be treated with caution.

This saint is included on this recurring date in the U.S. Roman Rite calendar published by the USCCB. This reading guide gives U.S. calendar saints priority; the Mass celebrated on a particular year’s date can differ because of Sundays, seasons or higher-ranking celebrations.