Jesus had grandparents. He sat on their laps. He ate their food. Sts. Joachim and Anne are the parents of that Virgin Mary.
Where do we know them from?
Their names do not appear in the canonical Gospels. We know them from an early 2nd-century text called the Protoevangelium of James. While not Scripture, it preserves the ancient memory of the Church.
The Story of the Golden Gate
Tradition says they were wealthy but childless (a stigma in Jewish society). Joachim went into the desert to fast and pray for a child. Anne wept in her garden. An angel appeared to both of them separately, promising a child who would be spoken of in all the world. They ran to meet each other and embraced at the Golden Gate of Jerusalem. That embrace—full of pure love—is often seen as the moment of Mary's Immaculate Conception.
Patron Saints of Grandparents
In a world where families are fractured, Joachim and Anne remind us of the vital role of the older generation. They are the link to tradition.
Pray for your grandparents today. Send them a prayer card from the MyPrayerTower app.