As a young girl, I learned that Saints Joesph and Mary were selected and chosen by God to become the earthly parents of Jesus, the son of God. I found it very interesting that Jesus as a young boy attended services at the synagogue where he also studied and taught. I watched movies in the theater about the crucifixion of Jesus, and I cried. I learned that Jesus died to make up for the sins that people were committing because he loved us all.
Yet only recently did I grow curious about the identity of the parents of the woman chosen by God to become the earthly mother of Jesus. Who were they? Why were they chosen? I began reading and searching for information to satisfy my curiosity. It did not take too long before I found the information that I sought.
The parents of Mary, the mother of Jesus, were Saint Joachim and Saint Anne. Although their names are not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, ancient Christian writings and tradition identify them as Mary’s parents. They are commemorated on our calendar of Lesser Feasts and Fasts on July 26th. According to the Protoevangelium of James, an apocryphal text from the second century C.E., Joachim and Anne were an esteemed Jewish couple who fervently prayed for a child in their old age. By God’s grace, they received the miraculous gift of Mary’s birth.
These were grateful parents who nurtured Mary’s holiness; their legacy continues to inspire virtue and devotion in families of today.
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles has a painting depicting Anne, Mary’s mother, teaching her to read. I like to imagine Anne and Joachim teaching Mary to appreciate the world and its surroundings, while encouraging her to be strong and courageous.
Within my family, I was the fifth child of seven children. My older siblings became my inspiration to learn to read as I watched them sit at the dining room table after dinner doing their homework. I can recall becoming frantic at six years of age as I prepared to attend first grade. I cried to my mother, “Mom, how can I go to school if I can’t read or write?” Mom bought me a chalkboard with the alphabet and numbers surrounding its perimeter.
Joachim and Anne are good examples of dedication and fortitude. My mother read spiritual stories to me. My older brother conducted spelling bees for my sister (two years older than me). We learned about more than spelling and reading; we learned about courage and determination to grow, to learn, and to share.
I wonder if Mary was chosen by God to be the mother of Christ because of her upbringing, celibacy, love, devotion to God, and obedience to her parents.
Some religions believe that Mary is the only person born without sin. She has become a mother to all of us through the direction of her Son, Jesus Christ. She loves us, prays for us and will be our comfort when we seek her.
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I enjoyed this article very much. I had read about The Virgin Mary’s parents awhile ago, but not recently. Thank you for this.
There is no historical evidence for Mary’s parents. Please distinguish your traditional lore .
Hi Martha, thanks reading and commenting. The author states that there is no mention of Mary’s parents in the Bible. She writes, “Although their names are not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, ancient Christian writings and tradition identify them as Mary’s parents. They are commemorated on our calendar of Lesser Feasts and Fasts on July 26th. According to the Protoevangelium of James, an apocryphal text from the second century C.E., Joachim and Anne were an esteemed Jewish couple who fervently prayed for a child in their old age.” —Allison, ed.