St. and the Divine Right Fathers Joachim and Ana; †) St. Cuv. Chiriac from Tazlau; †) St. Cuv. Onufrie from Vorona; St. Mc. Severian; Holy Fathers of the Third Ecumenical Synodtranslated

Orthodox calendar, September 9 Saints and Righteous Fathers Joachim and Ana The righteous Joachim and Ana were the parents of the Mother of God and the grandparents of Christ. They were righteous before God and, being rich, at every feast they took two parts of their earnings, one part they gave to the poor, and the other they gave to God, that is, they brought it to the church.

But the companionship of these Saints was kept for a long time, by divine will, in barrenness of babies, so that the power of God's grace could also be shown. That giving birth to the unfruitful and barren womb is the power of divine grace.

So, they spent fifty years together, having no children, and still did not despair, remembering the Holy Patriarch Abraham and his wife, the honorable Sarah, who in her old age gave birth to a son Isaac, according to the promise. But they did not reach this dignity until they prayed to God, in the bitterness of their souls, with much fasting and prayer.

So, Joachim went with gifts to Jerusalem, to a great feast, but a certain Jew insulted him, saying: "Why do you bring the gift before me? Don't you know that you are unworthy to bring new gifts, because...