Anne (Mother of Mary)

Life

Anne, traditionally the mother of Mary, does not appear in the Bible. Her story first appears in the Protoevangelium of James, an apocryphal work written around the second century. Apocryphal works are ancient writings that were not included in the canon. The name Anne (Greek Anna) is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Hannah. She is a different person from the prophetess Anna in Luke 2 (see Simeon and Anna) and from Hannah in 1 Samuel.

According to the Protoevangelium of James, Anne was born in Bethlehem. Her husband, Joachim, was a wealthy and respected man. The couple remained childless for many years until an angel appeared to Anne and announced that she would conceive. Anne promised to dedicate the child to God. Joachim, who had been praying in the wilderness, received a similar vision and returned home. The couple had a daughter and named her Mary. When Mary was three years old, they are said to have entrusted her, as promised, to the Temple in Jerusalem, where she was raised. A separate tradition holds that Anne was from Nazareth. The dates of her birth and death are unknown.

Ministry and Legacy

Nothing Anne actually did can be historically verified. Her significance in church history lies instead in the influence of the traditions about her. Although the Protoevangelium of James was not admitted to the canon, it was frequently cited by the early Church Fathers, the theologians and leaders of the early church. The book also shaped the veneration of Mary. From around the sixth century, the Eastern Church is reported to have commemorated Joachim and Anne on September 9, the day after the feast of the Nativity of Mary. The feast of the Presentation of Mary, observed on November 21, likewise derives from the book's narrative. In the Middle Ages, similar material was included in the Golden Legend, a collection of saints' lives, and became widely known.

Anne's name also appears in the history of the Reformation. In July 1505, Martin Luther, then a law student, was nearly struck by lightning at Stotternheim near Erfurt. On that occasion he famously vowed, "Help, Saint Anne! I will become a monk." Luther kept his vow and entered an Augustinian monastery. Anne is said to have been a saint commonly invoked in times of danger in late medieval Germany.

Commemoration and Influence

The Catholic Church observes July 26 as the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In Korea, some Catholic parishes have these two saints as their patron saints, that is, saints whom a parish designates as its protectors and honors accordingly.

The church calendar of Protestant churches has no day commemorating Anne. In Korean Protestantism, Anne is mentioned chiefly in sermons or lectures on the history of the Reformation, in connection with the story of Luther's vow.

Assessment

Even the Catholic Church does not regard the Protoevangelium of James as an inspired book, and it therefore considers it difficult to affirm that everything the book contains is historical fact. Nevertheless, it venerates Anne as a saint on the basis of ancient church tradition. The Orthodox Church also commemorates Joachim and Anne as saints.

Protestants generally accept only the Scriptures included in the canon as the standard of faith, and they do not accept the practice of seeking the help of saints through prayer. Protestants therefore regard Anne as a figure of church history and tradition.