| St
Joachim
(†1st
century)
Biographical
The apocryphal Gospel of James, written within the 2nd century, names
Joachim as the father of Virgin
Mary. The later
Liber de infantia Mariae et Christi salvatoris and Evangelium de nativitate
Mariae, seemingly based on the Gospel of James, states that Joachim
is a shepherd of the tribe of Judah, living in Jerusalem; he had long
been married to Anne, Mary's mother, whose continual childlessness had
become a cause of much humiliation and sorrow to them both. The birth
of a daughter was announced to each of them by an angel.
Joachim and Anne are considered the patron saints
of grandparents.
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