Ikon - St. Anne, St. Joachim med den hellige jomfru - jomfrufødsel. - Træ

This is a rare and very special icon that shows the happiness and tenderness of St. Anne and St. Joachim for their long-awaited daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Nativity Story:

God's providence gradually prepared the appearance of St. Virgin Mary. In a long series of generations, nobility rose continuously, human nature became more perfect, until finally the blessed couple - Joachim and Anna - appeared as a fertile soil on which such a wonderful flower - the most holy Mother of God - could sprout. Three days' journey from Jerusalem was the small town of Nazareth. The righteous Joakim and Anna lived there, whom the Holy Church calls "Bogotians". Joachim came from the family of David, and Saint Anna - from the family of Aaron. They were very generous, merciful. They spent only a third of their income on themselves. The other third was sacrificed for the temple, and the last third was distributed to the poor.

Daily sorrow darkened the lives of these good people: they had no children. Among the Israelites, this was considered a great misfortune, because the childless parents were deprived of the hope of having the expected Messiah as their offspring. On one of the great holidays, Joachim came with his relatives to the Jerusalem temple. He wanted to make a sacrifice to God. The temple was overflowing with people. Joakim stood before the high priest and revealed his desire to him. The high priest began to rebuke him that because of his sins God did not bless him with children. In this situation, he was not worthy to offer sacrifice. Joachim was deeply saddened. He left the temple, consoling himself with the thought of the countless mercies of God to the people of Israel. At some point, however, his grief became so great that he did not wish to return home. He went to the desert where his flock was grazing. There he spent 40 days in prayer and strict fasting. He prayed fervently that God would have mercy on him, perform a miracle - that he too would become a father, just as Abraham once became a father in ancient times.

The news of Joachim's anxiety in Jerusalem reached Anna in Nazareth. She grieved even more than her husband. She considered herself the reason for their childlessness. And like her husband, she began to pray to God just as fervently to bless her with a child. Once, while working in her home garden, she saw among the branches of a laurel tree a nest with little birds. The sight of this happy nest threw her into still greater sorrow.

"Only I, Lord," she said with tears in her eyes, "am dead and lifeless." All nature glorifies you with its fruits. Everyone is happy to have their own children. Only I am childless like a waterless desert... Lord, Lord! You gave Sarah a son in her old age. Hear me too. And I will offer You what was born of me as a gift, so that Your mercy may be blessed in it! Anna put her whole soul into this prayer.

And here - an angel of the Lord stood before her and said to her: - Anna, Anna, your prayer has been heard. Your cries have crossed the clouds. Your tears fell before the Lord. You will give birth to a blessed daughter, because of whom all the families of the earth will be blessed. Through her salvation will be given to the whole world. You will call her Maria. Anna immediately made a promise that if she gave birth to a child, she would give it to the service of God. Before sharing her joy with her husband, she went to the Jerusalem Temple to thank God and repeat her promise there.

At that time, the angel of the Lord also appeared to Joakim in the desert and said to him: - God heard your prayer. Your wife Anna will give birth to a daughter who will be your common joy. To be sure of my words, go to Jerusalem. There at the golden gates you will find your wife, to whom this joy has already been announced. The happy couple met in Jerusalem. They wept for each other at the appearance of the angel and offered a sacrifice together in the temple.