Orthodox icon of Anna and Joachim: description, history, prayer and interesting facts

Annually, the thresholds of expensive paid clinics are used by married couples who can not conceive children. Often, their efforts are not rewarded, and on the contrary, there is a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. It is to such pairs that the icon of Anna and Joachim can help. It is known that the parents of the Virgin Mary have waited for almost 50 years for a wonderful conception.

Miracle-working icon

In order not to despair, young couples are recommended to have before their eyes the example of the saints Anna and Joachim. The spouses lived in Nazareth, led a righteous life, but for some reason they could not have children. Only in 70 years they were able to become parents.

For many long centuries, their icon has been working miraculously. Righteous Joachim and Anna, according to parishioners, give spouses healing from such a terrible illness as infertility.

There are several variants of the Christian plot. On some icons, the spouses are depicted frontally, on others we see their profile. In some images, an elderly couple gently embraces each other. There are pictures where Anna and her husband are already nursing the virgin Mary.

Almost always, elderly spouses look at each other with tenderness and love. Clothing is underlined in red, which indicates the approaching joy. Often the halo of a holy husband, more than a loved one. This symbol shows that Joachim is the head of their family.

The icon of Anna and Joachim is an image of conjugal love. Love that can work miracles.

Why did the society condemn the Godfathers?

The parents of the Virgin Mary lived in Nazareth. Both were from good families. Two thirds of the income was given to the poor in the temple. Despite this, the Nazarenes condemned the couple. It was believed that if people in lawful marriage do not have children, then they are not blessed by God. Infertility was a punishment and a serious misfortune.

By law, Joachim could divorce his childless wife and re-marry. However, the righteous loved Anna too much and could not reject her.

But the people of the city quietly turned away from their family. One day a man brought gifts to the church in Jerusalem, but the priest refused to take them. The minister of God was sure that if God did not give a pair of children, then they have hidden grave sins.

On the same day, one of the inhabitants of Nazareth told the righteous man that a childless man can not make a sacrifice to God.

At that time no one knew that the Saints Joachim and Anna would bring the Savior to the sinful earth . The icon of the couple probably therefore has such wonderful healing properties.

The fast of Jehoiakim in the wilderness

The grandfather of Jesus Christ was very upset that on this festive day in the church he was refused. He remembered his family tree and realized that all worthy men in her had children. True, the forefather Abraham was able to take in his arms a newborn son only in old age.

Joachim that day could not return to his wife, but went into the desert. He spent 40 days in prayer and fasting. The righteous asked God to give him a child. He was ready to remain in the desert until God fulfilled his request.

On the 40th day the Angel appeared to him and told him to go to Jerusalem. There he already had to wait for his wife. Thus, the icon of the Godfather, Joachim and Anna, shows the world that faith in God and true love can be higher than those around them.

Pleas of Anna

Anna was born in the family of priest Matfan. All her brothers and sisters had children. The venerable lady believed that it was her grave sins that prevented her from becoming a mother.

All her life the woman was supported only by her husband, when Joachim left for the desert, Anna decided that now the whole world had turned from her for sure.

Once walking in the garden, she saw a nest with chicks. This sight even more upset the righteous. She thought that she was the only woman whose womb would never be able to raise a child.

Then Anna began to pray in tears, promising to bring her child as a gift to the Most High. After the prayer, the Angel descended to her, and told him that God had heard her request. And now she should have a daughter named Maria. Also, the Angel told the woman to go urgently to the Temple in Jerusalem to thank God.

It is the conception of Mary depicts the most famous icon of the righteous Godfather Joachim and Anna. On it saints stand on the threshold of the temple.

Wonderful birth

After visiting the temple, the elderly couple finally had a long-awaited daughter. According to legend, when the baby was six months old, Anna released her to the ground. Little Mary walked exactly 7 steps and returned to her mother. Then the woman decided that while the girl does not go to the temple, she should not walk on the ground.

The icon of Anna and Joachim is often supplemented by the third character - the baby Mary. True to the family, the girl lived only three years. After, as promised, she was sent to the temple. Joachim himself thought of doing this a year earlier, but Anna was afraid that the little girl would be very homesick for her parents. Maybe she just wanted to stay with her long-awaited daughter longer.

The miraculous birth of Mary caused the inhabitants of Nazareth to change their anger to mercy. True, they did not yet know that the history of the New Testament begins before their eyes.

Soon after the parents gave their daughter to the service of God, they left this sinful land.

How to pray an icon?

According to numerous reviews, the icon of Anna and Joachim can not only help childless couples, but also strengthens marriage and helps restore women's health. Lonely parishioners can turn to the saints to help them find a legitimate life partner. Pregnant women ask St. Anne to make the birth easier, and the baby was born healthy.

There are special prayers with which you can apply to the patrons of the family:

• Troparion to the righteous;
• Kontakion;
• The first and second prayer to the Godfathers.

And also Anna's personal appeal to the Most High about the gift of the baby.

It is difficult to say how it will be more correct to pray. You can learn certain words, but then you need to understand their meaning and ask from the heart. And you can try to ask the saints in your own words. As they did in their time. The main thing is that prayer should come from the heart.

Where can you worship the saints?

In many churches of the East and West, the icon of Joachim and Anna is kept. It is difficult to overestimate its significance. A holy couple is worshiped by Christians around the world, including Catholics.

The first temple of the righteous was built in the 4th-5th century AD in Jerusalem. It has survived to this day. According to legend, there is also a tomb of the God-bearing.

In Russia, Ioakim and Anna began to read and almost immediately after the adoption of the Orthodox faith. To this day, the names of the righteous are commemorated during the services. And the saints' day falls on September 9 (22), coinciding with the birth of Mary.

Today, the relics of the righteous can be worshiped in Athonite and Greek monasteries. In Russia, a part of the relics of the holy wife is in the Valaam Monastery.

The icon of the righteous Godfathers is in the Moscow church of John the Warrior on Yakimanka. You can also order a copy of yourself. Small images are sold within 500-700 rubles. Icons are more expensive from 1500 rubles. It is best to acquire an image of the saints in the temples. This is especially true for spouses who dream of children.