The Conception of the Most Holy Theotokos by Righteous Anna

The Conception of the Most Holy Theotokos by the righteous Anna. The mother of the Most Holy Theotokos, Anna, was the daughter of Nathan, a priest of Bethlehem descended from the tribe of Levi. She was given in marriage to the righteous Joachim, a native of Galilee. The couple lived childless for twenty years, and since according to the view of the Jews at that time childlessness was regarded as a punishment from God, their grief knew no bounds: they fervently besought the Lord to grant them offspring. At last God heard the prayer offered with a sincere heart, and through the mouth of an angel announced to Joachim and Anna the conception of a daughter, “in whom all the tribes of the earth shall be blessed”.

“Today the whole world celebrates Anna’s conception, wrought by God; for she has borne her who beyond words gave birth to the Word,” it says in the kontakion of the feast (see the readings for 25 July and 9 September).