Joachim | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Saint Joachim byJuan Simón Gutiérrez, c. 1700 | |
| Father of the Blessed Virgin Mary; Confessor | |
| Born | c. 75 BC Nazareth,Hasmonean Judea |
| Died | c. 15 BC Jerusalem,Herodian Kingdom |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church Oriental Orthodox Churches Anglican Communion Lutheranism Islam |
| Canonized | Pre-Congregation |
| Feast | 26 July (Catholic Church), (Anglican Communion); 9 September (Eastern Orthodox Church), (Greek Catholics); Calendar, (1738–1913); 16 August (General Roman Calendar, 1913–1969) |
| Attributes | Lamb, doves, with Saint Anne or Mary |
| Patronage | Fathers grandparents Adjuntas, Puerto Rico Dolores, Eastern Samar Fasnia,Tenerife Carmelites San Joaquin, Iloilo |
Joachim[a] was, according to ChristianSacred tradition, the husband ofSaint Anne, the father ofMary (mother of Jesus), and the maternal grandfather ofJesus. The story of Joachim and Anne first appears in theGospel of James, part of theNew Testament apocrypha.[1] His feast day is 26 July, a date shared with Saint Anne.
The story of Joachim, his wife Anne (or Anna), and the miraculous birth of their child Mary, the mother of Jesus, was told for the first time in the 2nd-century apocryphal infancy-gospel theGospel of James (also called theProtoevangelium of James). Joachim was a rich and pious man, who regularly gave to the poor; however, Charles Souvay, writing in theCatholic Encyclopedia, says that the idea that Joachim possessed large herds and flocks is doubtful.[2] At the temple, Joachim'ssacrifice was rejected, as the couple's childlessness was interpreted as a sign of divine displeasure. Joachim consequently withdrew to the desert, where hefasted and didpenance for 40 days.Angels then appeared to both Joachim and Anne to promise them a child.[3]
Joachim later returned to Jerusalem and embraced Anne at thecity gate, located in theWalls of Jerusalem. An ancient belief held that a child born of an elderly mother who had given up hope of having offspring was destined for great things. Parallels occur in theHebrew Bible in the case ofSarah, the wife ofAbraham and mother ofIsaac;Hannah, the mother ofSamuel;[4] and in theNew Testament in the case of the parents ofJohn the Baptist. The cycle of legends concerning Joachim and Anne was included in theGolden Legend (around 1260) byJacobus de Voragine. This cycle remained popular inChristian art until theCouncil of Trent (1545–1563) restricted the depiction of apocryphal events.
No liturgical celebration of Saint Joachim was included in theTridentine calendar. It was added to theGeneral Roman Calendar in 1584, for celebration on 20 March, the day after the feast day ofSaint Joseph. In 1738, it was transferred to the Sunday within theOctave of theAssumption of Mary. As part of his effort to allow the liturgy of Sundays to be celebrated,Pope Pius X (term 1903–1914) transferred it to 16 August, the day after the Assumption, so Joachim may be remembered in the celebration of Mary's triumph.[5] On May 28, 1906, Pope Saint Pius X introduced theindulgence of 300 days, that can be obtained once a day, for each invocation of "Saint Joachim, spouse of Saint Anne and father of the Blessed Virgin".[6]
The feast was then celebrated as aDouble of the Second Class, a rank that was changed in 1960 to that ofSecond Class Feast. In the1969 revision of the General Roman Calendar, it was joined to that of Anne, for celebration on 26 July.[7] TheEastern Orthodox Church andEastern Catholic Churches commemorate Joachim on 9 September, theSynaxis of Joachim and Anne, the day after theNativity of Mary. Joachim isremembered (with Anne) in theChurch of England with aLesser Festival on26 July.[8]
Joachim is named as thepatron saint of fathers, grandfathers, grandparents, married couples, cabinet makers, and linen traders.[9]
In medieval art, he often wears a conicalJewish hat. He is often treated as a saint, with ahalo, but in theLatin Church, there was some awareness that he had quite likely died too soon to be counted as a Christian.Joachim and Anne Meeting at the Golden Gate was a popular subject in artistic renditions of thelife of the Virgin.
Symbols associated with Saint Joachim include a book or scroll representing linen makers, ashepherd's staff for the Christian Word, and a basket of doves representing peace. He is almost always clothed in green, the color of hope.[9] The name of theSan Joaquin River dates to 1805–1808, when Spanish explorerGabriel Moraga was surveying east fromMission San José to find possible sites for a mission. The name was in common use by 1810.[10]
In Islam he is calledImran (Arabic:عمران,romanized: ʿImrān) an Arabic rendition of the Hebrew name Amram.[11] According to theQuran inSurah Al Imran, Imran is the father ofMaryam and grandfather ofʿIsa.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "St. Joachim".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
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