Saint Joachim

Saint Joachim, according to tradition, was the father of the Virgin Mary and the husband of Saint Anne. Their lives are primarily detailed in apocryphal writings like the Protevangelium of James.1

The traditional account states that Anne and Joachim, though childless, were devout and lived in Nazareth. After Joachim was reproached at the Temple for his sterility, he retreated to the countryside. Anne, also grieving her barrenness, prayed for a child and promised to dedicate it to God's service. An angel appeared to both, announcing Anne's conception of a daughter, Mary. When Mary was three years old, they brought her to the Temple of Jerusalem as promised.1

The story of Anne and Joachim's conception of Mary parallels the Old Testament account of Hannah and Samuel. While Anne's cult was prominent early on, Joachim's was introduced to the West later.1