Anna is one of the most popular Russian names. It came to us together with Christianity and in translation from the Hebrew means "God's grace," "God's mercy." Women, who are so called, have many strong patronesses in the heavenly realms, after all, there are many saints and Orthodox and Catholic with this name.
Anna Bithinskaya
The day of Anna 's angel is celebrated throughout the year. But one of the most significant - on June 26. On this day, all Christianity remembers the holy Anna Bithinskaya, endowed with God for her devotion to the faith by the gift of miracles. She became famous for her fiery sermons, her virtuous behavior, her sincerity in her love for the Lord. To be able to serve him, Anna used to wear men's clothes for many years and lived under the monastic monastery on Mount Olympus. It was at the dawn of Christianity, in Byzantium, under the emperor Constantine. After the death of the righteous woman, during whose lifetime legends went and for whom many people turned to help, Anna was ranked among the first saints of the then still new faith. The day of the angel of Anne is consecrated by an icon on which the Bithynian righteous is depicted. She is prayed for, asking for help in family matters, health, support at a difficult hour.
Anna the Reverend
Another remarkable bearer of the name lived once in the land of Israel. In the history of Christianity she entered as the mother of the Virgin Mary, through which Jesus came to our world. In her honor, the day of the angel of Anna is celebrated by the believers of the whole Christian world and by many laity. The story of the life of a woman and her husband is no less instructive than our previous heroine. Both originated from well-known genera. Anna herself was the daughter of a noble priest, and her husband Joachim was a descendant of the legendary King David. According to the legend, God promised that it was in this family that there will appear the Infant named Savior. The well-to-do couple had been childless all their lives, and they tearfully lamented and sincerely grieved. Hot prayers, multi-day fasting, humility, with which they took their test (for Jews, childlessness was considered a disgrace), were rewarded. The angel appeared to them and announced that they would become parents, and their daughter would be blessed by all the lands and peoples. So it happened, the Monk gave birth to Mary, in the future - the mother of Christ. The day of Anna's righteous angel is celebrated in Orthodoxy on August 7, and in the Catholic churches on July 26. She is prayed for by women who want to conceive a baby or be safely disposed of. She is asked by her parents to intercede with God for children - for their prudence, health, good luck. They turn to her when there is no harm in the families, understanding between husband and wife or one of them is drinking. And with the many other sorrows appealing to the Reverend the suffering.
Anna Novgorodskaya
In Russian Christianity, the second after the princess Olga, the woman, ranked among the saints, became the wife of Yaroslav the Wise. With her, the winter day of the angel of Anna, whose date falls on February 10, is connected . The daughter of the Swedish king Ingigerd (her name before baptism) was an exceptionally well-educated and well-read person, she dedicated every free minute to gaining new knowledge. Moving with her father's family to Christianity, she married Yaroslav and became a loyal and reliable support to him in all matters, taking the most active part in the country's foreign and domestic policy. Like her husband, Anna Novgorod spent much energy on the development of education in the Russian state, the inculcation of Christian values. She was deeply esteemed among the people as a merciful, just intercessor, deeply believing and preaching among the people true spiritual values. Holy Anna, whose angel's day was recorded in the saints in February, is patronized by Novgorod, where her relics rest and where the people have repeatedly witnessed the Divine Wonders.
Here are such strong and wise, righteous patronesses and helpers our Anechs have!