Saints Joachim and Anne – 26th July

Saints Joachim and Anne – 26th July
https://saintmichaelusa.org/0726-joachim-anne/
Joachim was a wealthy man and very God-fearing and used to give to the poor regularly. There is a story about Saints Joachim and Anne that their sacrifices at the temple used to be rejected because of their childlessness. Their lack of a child was viewed as though they were rejected in heaven. But Joachim would go to the desert do penance and fast for forty days. One time they were promised a child when angels delivered that message to the couple. The story of St Anne has a similarity to that of Hannah, the mother of Samuel, who was also still childless in her old age. Anne so much wanted to have a son but God had different plans and gave her a daughter. She named her Mary and dedicated her to the temple of the Lord just the same way Hannah dedicated Samuel to the temple.The first time the feast of Saint Joachim was included in the General Roman Calendar was in 1584 and put on March 20 just after the Feast of Saint Joseph. It was transferred to the Sunday after the Octave of the Assumption of Mary in 1738. It was again transferred to August 16, just a day after the feast day of Assumption of Mary. In 1969 the feast day of St Joachim and the feast day of St Anne were joined together to be celebrated on July 26 as the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne.