Many of the details of this account are taken from mystics whose visions are approved by the Church as private revelation - particularly Anne Catherine Emmerich and Mary of Agreda. These holy women were blessed with detailed visions of the life of Our Lady, which included the lives of her parents.

St. Anne was born in Bethlehem of rich parents who owned many flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. They were very generous and regularly gave away a large part of their possessions to the poor, keeping very little for themselves. After Anne’s birth, they moved to a beautiful country estate at Sephoris near Nazareth.

From her childhood Anne loved to pray and to think about God. She worked hard to be helpful around the home. In fact, she became such a model daughter that other mothers used to tell their young girls to imitate her.

The more that Anne learned about the awaited coming of the Savior, the more ardently did she pray that God send Him soon.

One day, Anne happened to be praying fervently to God to give her a husband who would help her to live according to the Divine Law. And at the very same moment, on another farm near Nazareth, a pious middle-aged bachelor named Joachim was also praying for God’s help in choosing a wife. Although he knew and greatly admired Anne, he was so humble that he did not dare think she would become his wife.

Pleased with their prayers, God sent the Archangel Gabriel to them both - revealing to each that God had chosen the other as their spouse. The very next day, Joachim approached Anne’s father and asked him for the hand of his daughter in marriage. The proposal was approved and soon the happy couple were solemnly married in the simple open-air ceremony. St. Anne was about twenty-four at the time, and St. Joachim was forty-two.

They made their home on the estate of Anne’s father. Though they were quite wealthy, they lived very economically and charitably. Each year they divided all their rents, income and sheep into three parts. Then they gave one-third to the Temple for God’s service, one-third to the poor, and the last third left was all that they kept. God rewarded their generosity with plentiful flocks and herds that continued to increase amazingly.

Very often the holy couple would give food to travelers, as well as lambs to needy relatives. At home, the two of them frequently talked together about God and the coming of the Redeemer, for which they prayed long and fervently. Both Anne and Joachim had been serious even in their youth. Now as they matured, they made a distinguished and devout couple.

In the midst of their devoted lives though, Almighty God tested them with a heavy cross to bear, a cross which only grew heavier as the years passed: they had no children. Among the Israelites in those times, this was considered the greatest misfortune and disgrace. The people took it as a clear sign that the Lord thought such a couple unworthy to contribute toward the coming of the Messiah. And so Anne and Joachim had to suffer increasing contempt and insults from their neighbors and others. But they took these humiliations with patience and continued to pray that God might bless their marriage with children.

After seven years, they decided to move to a smaller farm near Nazareth. They began a much more mortified and holy life, in order to earn God’s blessing. In their humility, they thought that perhaps God was not giving them a child because they were unworthy.

They continued and even increased their charity and gifts to the poor. In addition to their ardent prayers for a child, Joachim and Anne even took a solemn vow that if God did give them a child, they would dedicate this child to His service in the Temple.

Thus they lived through another thirteen long, trying years. Then, one day, Joachim went to offer sacrifice in the Temple. But the priest rebuked him, saying: "Why do you come here, Joachim? Your offerings are not acceptable to the Lord!"

For poor Joachim, this was a final blow. The weight of years of disgrace and discouragement came crushing down upon his pious soul. Yearning for the blessing of God, Joachim withdrew to a corner of the Temple to pray. He was too brokenhearted to return home. Instead, he went to some of his flocks on the distant slopes of Mount Hermon. So many years of being denied a child, and repeatedly told that God was displeased with him, were a tremendous burden on one who loved God so much. So he stayed in this remote place in prayer and penance for some time. He was so ashamed and distressed that he did not even send word to his wife, Anne.

Some friends told Anne how the priest had rebuked Joachim. She was filled with sorrow during her husband’s long absence, and begged God to send him home, and to bless them with at least one child. She was forty-four years old.

That cross was the final one and God would now reward this holy couple for their long-suffered pain. He again sent St. Gabriel to them, announcing the most joyous news: God was pleased to send them a blessed daughter! Little did they realize that their sufferings had been crucial in preparing the way for the coming of the Messiah.

Joachim was still out on Mount Hermon when he received the news from the Angel. Filled with joy, he returned to the city to make his offerings at the Temple. This time, the priests treated him well, and several of his friends congratulated him, for they heard how Anne was with child. After his prayer at the Temple, he went back to Anne, meeting her at the Golden Gate.

The couple was extremely grateful to God as they anticipated their girl’s birth. There were more trials during Anne’s pregnancy, adding even more merit and grace to the amazing birth to come. The devil tried to bring down their home, but the holy angels prevented this. Then, some women who knew Anne began to viciously insult and reproach her; they mocked her for being pregnant so late in life. But Anne treated them all the more kindly, and prayed for them. In the end, the unkind women had a change of heart.

At last, their miracle-baby was born and they called her Mary.

The Archangel Gabriel announced the marvelous news of Mary’s birth to all the Prophets, Patriarchs, and souls in Limbo. They rejoiced and praised God for His mercy toward humanity. The time had finally come and the future Mother of God was now alive on earth!

Not long after the holy birth, Joachim and Anne brought their daughter to the Temple for the purification ceremony for Anne, as the mother. Anne gave her offerings of a lamb and turtledove, and humbly asked God to forgive her all her faults. Then she brought her child into the Temple, and offered little Mary to God. Soon, the holy parents would leave Mary there for the service of God - as they had promised.

During the next three years, Mary was the delight and love of her parents. Being full of grace, young Mary had been additionally gifted by God with reason and awareness far beyond her years. Her young thoughts were filled with God and she loved to thank Him for His blessings - especially for the gift of her parents, whom she loved and respected very much. She would often hold and kiss their hands with touching reverence. Anne would spend much time with her daughter, and they frequently spoke together about God, and the coming of the Messiah.

Then, when Mary reached the age of three, it was time for the promise of her parents to be fulfilled. Mary was sent to the Temple, where She would live until her marriage to St. Joseph.

Before ascending the Temple steps, she knelt before her parents, and kissed their hands, deeply grateful for all they had done for her. She asked for their blessing and prayers. With tears in their eyes, the loving parents placed their hands on her small head, solemnly reciting the prayer offering her to God. Then they watched their daughter turn and ascend the fifteen steps into the Temple.

They were allowed inside to say goodbye. Both felt a deep sorrow but were resigned to God’s will as they returned home without their dear daughter. Mary knew how grieved they were. In answer to her prayers for them, God consoled the holy parents in their sacrifice. Anne and her husband had unknowingly played an incredible role in the history of the world. Their sufferings, lovingly and faithfully endured, brought into the world the Woman who would bring forth the Redeemer of the human race.

The sacrifice of Joachim and Anne in leaving their only and beloved child forever was not unlike the sacrifice she herself would make in offering her only Child to God for the salvation of all humanity.

Having fulfilled this incredible purpose in their lives, the saintly couple could leave this world and wait in Limbo for their Redemption. According to tradition, Joachim died some time before Anne.

Eight days before his death, Mary received word from God that her father was soon to die and join the other holy souls and patriarchs awaiting Heaven to be opened. The loving daughter prayed fervently for Joachim and twelve angels were sent to comfort and console Joachim in this last illness. In his final hours, Mary sent all her own Guardian Angels to him (These were extra Angels whom God had given especially to help and protect her). She did this so Joachim would see them and be comforted at such a beautiful sight. What Mary did not know was that the Angels also consoled him with the news that his daughter would be mother of the Messiah.

Anne was with her husband as he died, and heard all that the angels said to him. Then Joachim peacefully died, his life work faithfully done.

The angels returned to Mary and told her that her father had passed away. The devoted daughter then prayed that God console and assist her mother, who was now all alone in the world. Anne did not know of God’s messages to her daughter. So she sent word to Mary’s teacher, who informed the little girl of her father’s death.

For the rest of her life as a widow, Anne continued to live devoted to God, growing more and more pleasing to Him. When her own time came to die, God again sent angelic messengers to Mary with the news. Saddened, but fervent in her prayers, Mary beseeched God to bless her mother with a happy death. God generously answered this prayer with a special consolation for Anne: Holy Angels were sent, not to Anne, but to carry Mary to the dying woman’s bedside. For one last time, Mary asked her mother for her blessing. The final moments between mother and daughter were filled with words of encouragement to one another - that each rely fully on God in their needs - especially now as they were getting ready to leave each other.

St. Anne then had the joy to die in the arms of her beloved daughter, Mary. She had served God faithfully and had the unique privilege of giving to Him His Own Mother.

After Pentecost, when some of Our Lord's Disciples went throughout the world to spread the faith, St. Anne's body was brought to France. See Dominique's Fun Fact 356: St. Anne's Relics, for the details of where her body was buried and hidden for centuries. The images below show the cathedral and crypts in which her relics were eventually found.