St. Anne and St. Joachim, Patron Saints of Getting Pregnant & Infertility

St. Anne and St Joachim are Catholic Saints that are the Patron Saints of Infertility, Childless Couples, and those who are Trying to Conceive.

Saint Anne and Saint Joachim were barren for most of their lives, but in their old age they conceived Mary, the mother of Jesus. For this reason, they are also the Patron saints of Grandparents.

You often see St. Anne pictured with Mary, her daughter, and Jesus, her grandson.

The Feast Day of St. Anne and St. Joachim is celebrated in the West on July 26th, in the East on July 25th, and in Greece on September 9th.

St. Anne is my name saint (my name is Anna), and I prayed with her on my infertility journey, especially when I was trying to conceive my second child.

Click here to read about more Patron Saints of Infertility.

Read my 21 Fertility Prayers for Catholics.

The Story of St. Anne and St. Joachim

The story of St. Anne and St. Joachim is a beautiful one! The story starts with St. Anne, who was unmarried and prayed fervently for a husband. She asked God to send her a good Jewish man who would lead a holy and devout life with her. The Archangel Gabriel visited her and told her to marry Joachim.

I think this is why she is also considered a Patron Saint of women seeking husbands. My grandmother says that in high school her friends and her would say, “St. Anne, St. Anne, find me a man!”

They were married for at least twenty years and were childless. They led devout and holy lives, but in that time being barren was looked on with scorn. In one story, when Joachim goes to the temple to make an offering, he is admonished by a temple priest for being so brazen as to come in when he has no children.

Joachim and Anne were already sorrowful to not have children, but this pushed them over the edge. They promise God that if he will grant them a child, they will give the child to the temple when they are weaned. Joachim goes to the desert to fast and pray for 40 days. Meanwhile, Anne dresses in her bridal clothes and prays in the garden for a miracle.

And a miracle they receive! The Archangel Gabriel appears to Anne first, and tells her that she will conceive and that her child will be spoke of throughout the world. Then Gabriel visits Joachim in the desert and tells him to go home to his wife, and that Anne will conceive.

They both rush to the city gate, where they kiss and embrace in joy. Nine months later- Mary! Anne was 44 years old, according to the stories.

The story continues that when Mary was weaned at age 3, they presented her to the temple, where she would live until she married Joseph. At the temple, she lived with a Prophetess who was also named Anne (and don’t forget the Prophetess Anna at the temple who exclaims over newborn Jesus! I sense a name theme here . . .).

We don’t have clear information on when Joachim and Anne die, although one story suggests Joachim died shortly after the presentation at the temple of Mary, and Anne, when Mary was 12 years old.

These stories do not come from the Bible, and they also don’t just come from verbal tradition. The stories of Anne and Joachim can be found in some of the gospels that were not chosen to be in the bible, most notably the Protoevangelium of James, and then later the the account “Mystical City of God” written by the Venerable Mary of Agreda who said that Mary herself dictated the words.

The most conservative approach would be to call the story a legend. But, man, is this stuff cool, huh? This website has a great deal more of the story taken from Ven. Mary of Agreda’s account, if you are interested in reading more.

Pictures of St. Anne and St. Joachim

There are three basic images we say of St. Anne, and of the couple St. Anne and St. Joachim.

The most typical is a picture of St. Anne and St. Joachim embracing by the golden gate after the Archangel Gabriel appeared to both of them and told them Anne would conceive a child. They are embracing out of reunion, joy, and, it is likely the images are a symbolic metaphor for the union that created Mary- marital sex.

Although we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of Mary- that Mary was conceived without original sin- Mary was conceived the good, old fashioned way, in the marital bed of Anne and Joachim. To me, this makes these images of this embrace even more powerful, and a fitting image to meditate upon for those of us trying to conceive naturally.

The second most common picture is of St. Anne and St. Joachim with the Blessed Virgin Mary, their daughter. These pictures are lovely to look upon, showing a whole family with their child.

The other common picture of St. Anne is with St. Mary and Jesus. I love these pictures. The adoring grandmother, with her daughter and grandson Jesus.

Though we have no evidence that Anne lived to see the birth of Jesus (and we know she was quite old when she conceived Mary), I love to imagine the trio in Heaven together. St. Anne is also special saint for grandmothers.

Praying with St. Anne and St. Joachim

There are so many ways to spend time with St. Anne and St. Joachim, and to pray with them.

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Here is a list of ideas!

1. Pray a novena to them. A novena is a traditional nine day long prayer. The traditional novena to St. Anne and St. Joachim is copied below. You can say it any time of the year, but for a little extra special timing, start your novena on July 18th so you end on their Feast Day, July 26th.
2. Find some favorite pictures or statues of Saint Anne and Saint Joachim and place them around your house, office, or car, so you can gaze upon them and meditate upon their story.
3. Purchase a Saint card so you can both see her/their pictures, and say the prayer on the other side.
4. Wear St. Anne’s medal to feel a special closeness with her.
5. Keep their Feast Day, July 25th, holy with prayer and going to Mass.
6. Visit one of her shrines, like the gorgeous cathedral not too far from Quebec City (This has been on my list of must-visits for a while!!!).
7. Submit your prayer intentions virtually, and others will join in praying with you.
8. Read more about St. Anne and St. Joachim online, or by locating books on them. Hint: used online book stores are probably going to be your best bet.
9. Hang some artwork of St. Anne around your house, if you are so moved. I love checking Etsy for beautiful and original artwork of the Saints.

Prayers with St. Anne and St. Joachim

Novena to St. Anne and St. Joachim

Good Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
grandparents of our Savior, Jesus Christ,
When life seems barren,
help us to trust in God’s mercy.
When we are confused,
help us to find the way to God.
When we are lost in the desert,
lead us to those whom God has called has called us
to love.
When our marriage seems lifeless,
show us the eternal youth of the Lord.
When we are selfish,
teach us to cling only to that which lasts.
When we are afraid,
help us to trust in God.
When we are ashamed,
remind us that we are God’s children.
When we sin,
lead us to do God’s will.
You who know God’s will for husband and wife,
help us to live chastely.
You who know God’s will for the family,
keep all families close to you.
You who suffered without children,
intercede for all infertile couples

You who trusted in God’s will,
help us to respect God’s gift of fertility.
You who gave birth to the Blessed Mother,
inspire couples to be co-creators with God.
You who taught the Mother of God,
teach us to nurture children in holy instruction.
You whose hearts trusted in God,
hear our prayers for….(mention your requests here)
Pray with us for the ministry of Catholic family life.
Pray with us for the ministry of Natural Family
Planning.
Pray with us for all who give their time,
talent and treasure to this good work.
Hail Mary…Our Father…Glory to the Father…
God of our fathers,
you gave Saints Anne and Joachim
the privilege of being the parents of Mary,
the mother of your incarnate Son.
May their prayers help us to attain
the salvation you have promised to your people.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen

Traditional Prayer to St. Anne and St. Joachim

Saint Anne and Saint Joachim
you are filled with compassion
for those who invoke you,
and with love for those who suffer.
Heavily burdened with the weight of my troubles,
I cast myself at your feet
and humbly beg of you to take the present
intention,
which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your
daughter,
the Blessed Virgin Mary,
and place it before the throne of Jesus,
so that he may bring it to a happy issue.
Continue to intercede for me
until my request is granted.
But above all obtain for me the grace one day to see
my God face to
face,
and with you and Mary and all
the saints
to praise and bless him for all eternity.
Amen.

Prayer to St. Anne and St. Joachim

Dear Saint Anne and Saint Joachim, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and grandparents of Jesus, our Divine Savior, have pity on thy loving and trusting client, and listen to the petition which I present before thee.

Oh, blessed Saints, thou art both most dear to the Heart of Jesus, Whose beloved Mother was thy own tender, devoted child! Can He refuse anything to thee, in whose veins the same blood flowed which afterwards furnished the precious price of our Redemption? Great Saints, nothing was impossible to thy power and influence over the young Jesus “Who grew and waxed strong, full of wisdom” under the maternal care of thy glorious Daughter, the Queen of Heaven and Earth. In mercy and compassion, be like unto Him “Who went about doing good,” and come to the aid of thy servant in my great necessity!

Saint Anne, Saint Joachim, beloved parents of Mary, “our life, our sweetness and our hope,” pray to her for me and obtain my request. Amen.

St. Anne Chaplet

1. In honor of Jesus, say one Our Father and five Hail Marys
   After each Hail Mary say: Jesus, Mary and St. Anne (& St. Joachim), grant the favor I ask.
2. In honor of Mary, say one Our Father and five Hail Marys
   After each Hail Mary say: Jesus, Mary and St. Anne (& St. Joachim), grant the favor I ask.
3. In honor of St. Anne (& St. Joachim), say one Our Father Prayer and five Hail Marys
   After each Hail Mary say: Jesus, Mary and St. Anne (& St. Joachim), grant the favor I ask.
4. Closing Prayer (for Chaplet of St. Anne) O God, be with us in our time of trial. Protect us, Lord, from every evil. Good St. Anne, you were especially favored by God to be the mother of the most holy Virgin Mary, the mother of our Savior. By your power with your most pure daughter and her divine Son, kindly obtain for us the grace and favor that we now seek. Please secure for us also forgiveness for out past sins, the strength to perform faithfully our daily duties, and the help we need to persevere in the love of Jesus and Mary. Amen
5. If praying to St. Anne & St. Joachim, end with the Novena prayer from above.

Prayer to St. Anne

Glorious St. Anne, filled with compassion for those who invoke you and with love for those who suffer, heavily laden with the weight of my troubles, I cast myself at your feet and humbly beg of you to take the present affair which I recommend to you under your special protection.

Vouchsafe to recommend it to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and lay it before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue.  Cease not to intercede for me until my  request is granted. (Here ask for favor you wish to obtain.)

Above all, obtain for me the grace of one day beholding my God face to face, and with You and Mary and all the saints, praising and blessing Him through all eternity. Amen.

Good St. Anne, mother of her who is our life, our sweetness and our hope, pray to her for us and obtain our request.  (Three times).

St. Anne’s Fertility Prayer

Most high God, my Lord, Creator and Preserver of the universe, whom my soul reveres as the true God, infinite, holy and eternal!  Prostrate in thy real presence I will speak, though I am but dust and ashes proclaiming my need and my affliction. Lord God uncreated, make us worthy of thy benediction, and give us holy fruit of the womb, in order that we may offer it to thy service in the temple. Remember, O Lord, that Anne, thy servant, the mother of Samuel (Hannah), was sterile and that by thy generous mercy she received the fulfillment of her desires. I feel within me a courage which incites and animates me to ask Thee to show me the same mercy.

Hear then, O sweetest Lord and Master, my humble petition: remember the sacrifices, offerings and services of my ancestors and the favors, which thy almighty arm wrought in them. I wish to offer to Thee, O Lord, an oblation pleasing and acceptable in thy eyes: but the greatest in my power, is my soul, my faculties and inclinations given to Thee, and my whole being. If Thou look upon me from thy throne giving me issue, I will from this moment sanctify and offer it for thy service in the temple. Lord God of Israel, if it should be thy pleasure and good will to look upon this lowly and impoverished creature, and to console thy servant Joachim, grant me my prayer and may in all things be fulfilled thy holy and eternal will.

Prayer to St. Anne on her Feast Day

O God, Who didst vouchsafe to blessed Anne the grace to be the mother of her who was to bring forth Thine only-begotten Son: grant, in Thy mercy, that we who devoutly venerate her memory may be aided by her intercession. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.

Amen.