The Dormition of Saint Anna, Mother of the Most Holy God-bearer
We celebrate the Dormition of Anna, the mother of the Theotokos, on July 25th. As the mother of the Theotokos, St. Anna (together with Joachim) held an important role in preparing Mary for her role in Salvation history. They taught their daughter to pray, and to love and serve God. They also instructed their daughter by their example of love, perseverance, and self-sacrifice. St. Anna is the Theotokos’ role model for motherhood.
St. Anna
We do not have a lot of information about St. Anna. Here is what we do know from tradition. St. Anna is from the tribe of Judah and the line of David. She is the spouse of Joachim (a Levitical priest). The conception of Mary by St. Anna is in our article about the same feast, which is linked here. When the Theotokos was three, she was dedicated to the Temple. There she lived and served God.
However, tradition is that Sts. Joachim and Anna often visited their daughter at the Temple. After Joachim died, St. Anna sold their property and moved to Jerusalem, where she spent her last two years close to her daughter. St. Anna died when the Theotokos was around 10 or 11 years old. There is some debate about how old St. Anna was at her death, but the numbers range between 69 and 79 years.
All sources agree Joachim died at 80, and 2 years before his wife. St. Anna is invoked for trying to conceive a child, and for difficult childbirths
Prayers and Tropars for the Saint Anna’s Dormition
Troparion: (tone 4) O godly-minded Anna, you bore in your womb the most pure Mother of God, who conceived Him who is Life. Therefore, rejoice in glory, for today you received your heavenly inheritance. Intercede there for the forgiveness of our sins, for we love you, O ever-blessed one.
Kontakion: (tone 2) We feast the memory of the forebearers of Christ. As with faith we beseech them to aid us. And rescue from every affliction we who cry out, “Our God is with us,” God whose will it is to glorify them. Prokeimenon: (tone 4) God is wonderful in His saints, the God of Israel. Verse: Bless God in the churches, bless the Lord from the fountains of Israel.
Epistle: Galatians 4:22-31
Gospel: Luke 8:16-21
Ways to Celebrate!
Spend some time today praying for your own mother. If your mother is deceased, consider praying a Divine Mercy chaplet, Panahyda, or another efficacious prayer for the dead.
St. Anna showed her hope when she believed she could still have a child in her old age, never loosing faith in God’s greatness and mercy. Pray for the virtue of hope in your own life. And spend some time reading about the virtue of hope! Coincidentally, we have an article about hope that you can read here…
Finally, attend Divine Liturgy, or at least pray the prayers and tropars of the feast in your family icon corner today!
The Byzantine Life
Thank you for checking out this week’s article. You may also be interested in our article on the Fatima and the Rosary. Or about the Maternity of Anna.
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