Joachim
Encyclopedia
Saint Joachim was the husband of Saint Anne
and the father of Mary, the mother of Jesus in the Roman Catholic
, Orthodox, and Anglican traditions. The story of Joachim and Anne appears first in the apocryphal Gospel of James
. Joachim and Anne are not mentioned in the Bible.
in Matthew and Luke do not explicitly name either of Mary's parents, but apparently name two different fathers for Saint Joseph
, many scholars from John of Damascus
(8th C.), and particularly Protestant scholars, argue that the genealogy in Luke is actually the family tree of Mary, and that Heli
is her father. To resolve the problem of Joseph having two fathers - one descended from Solomon
, one descended from Nathan, son of David, traditions from the 7th Century specify that Heli
was a first cousin of Joachim.
In the Protoevangelium of James, Joachim is described as a rich and pious man of the house of David
who regularly gave to the poor and to the temple (synagogue
) at Sepphoris. However, as his wife was barren, the high priest rejected Joachim and his sacrifice, as his wife's childlessness was interpreted as a sign of divine displeasure. Joachim consequently withdrew to the desert where he fasted and did penance for forty days. Angels then appeared to both Joachim and Anne to promise them a child. Joachim later returned to Jerusalem and embraced Anne at the city gate. The cycle of legends concerning Joachim and Anne were included in the Golden Legend
and remained popular in Christian art
until the Council of Trent
restricted the depiction of apocryphal events. Traditional depictions (e.g., vestibular
statuary) of Joachim show him bearing a shovel
.
No liturgical celebration of Saint Joachim was included in the Tridentine Calendar
. It was added to the General Roman Calendar in 1584, for celebration on March 20, the day after the feast day of Saint Joseph
. In 1738, it was transferred to the Sunday after the Octave
of the Assumption of Mary
. As part of his effort to allow the liturgy of Sundays to be celebrated, Pope Pius X
transferred it to August 16, the day after the Assumption, so that Joachim may be remembered in the celebration of Mary's triumph. It was then celebrated as a Double of the 2nd Class, a rank that was changed in 1960 to that of 2nd Class Feast
. In the Roman Catholic calendar of saints
(in 1969) it was joined to that of Anne, for celebration on July 26.
The Eastern Orthodox Churches and Greek Catholics commemorate Joachim on September 9, the Synaxis of Joachim and Anne, the day after the Nativity of the Theotokos
.
Joachim is ascribed the title of "forebearer of God".
San Joaquin, California
was named in his honour.
. Imran is Arabic for the biblical figure Amram
, the father of Moses
, and Aaron
, who is regarded by Muslims as being the ancestor of Mary and Jesus through his son Aaron
. In Muslim
belief
, however, the Christian
Joachim has been attributed the name Imran as well. Muslims distinguish between the two different individuals as:
As for the figure of Joachim/Imran, he is revered by Muslim
s for being the father of Mary
and the grandfather of Jesus
and also for being one of the most saintly men present in Jerusalem at the time, along side the priest
Zachariah
. By tradition, Imran's wife was Hannah, the Christian
Saint Anne
.
Saint Anne
Saint Hanna of David's house and line, was the mother of the Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ according to Christian and Islamic tradition. English Anne is derived from Greek rendering of her Hebrew name Hannah...
and the father of Mary, the mother of Jesus in the Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, Orthodox, and Anglican traditions. The story of Joachim and Anne appears first in the apocryphal Gospel of James
Gospel of James
The Gospel of James, also known as the Infancy Gospel of James or the Protoevangelium of James, is an apocryphal Gospel probably written about AD 145, which expands backward in time the infancy stories contained the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and presents a narrative concerning the birth and...
. Joachim and Anne are not mentioned in the Bible.
In Christian tradition
Since the genealogies of JesusGenealogy of Jesus
The genealogy of Jesus is described in two passages of the Gospels: Luke 3:23–38 and Matthew 1:1–17.* Matthew's genealogy commences with Abraham and then from King David's son Solomon follows the legal line of the kings through Jeconiah, the king whose descendants were cursed, to Joseph, legal...
in Matthew and Luke do not explicitly name either of Mary's parents, but apparently name two different fathers for Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
, many scholars from John of Damascus
John of Damascus
Saint John of Damascus was a Syrian monk and priest...
(8th C.), and particularly Protestant scholars, argue that the genealogy in Luke is actually the family tree of Mary, and that Heli
Heli (Bible)
Heli is a Biblical individual mentioned in Luke 3:23 whom many Protestant scholars consider is the father of Mary, mother of Jesus.The Lukan genealogy mentions Joseph, not Mary, but does not have the word "son of" in the Greek text, leading to the suggestion that "son-in-law" of Heli is...
is her father. To resolve the problem of Joseph having two fathers - one descended from Solomon
Solomon
Solomon , according to the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles, a King of Israel and according to the Talmud one of the 48 prophets, is identified as the son of David, also called Jedidiah in 2 Samuel 12:25, and is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before...
, one descended from Nathan, son of David, traditions from the 7th Century specify that Heli
Heli
-Places:* Heli, Tangyuan County , town in Tangyuan County, Heilongjiang, China* Heli, Funing County, Jiangsu , town in Funing County, Jiangsu, China* an old name for the town of Ely, England* a parish in the municipality Spydeberg, Norway....
was a first cousin of Joachim.
In the Protoevangelium of James, Joachim is described as a rich and pious man of the house of David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
who regularly gave to the poor and to the temple (synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
) at Sepphoris. However, as his wife was barren, the high priest rejected Joachim and his sacrifice, as his wife's childlessness was interpreted as a sign of divine displeasure. Joachim consequently withdrew to the desert where he fasted and did penance for forty days. Angels then appeared to both Joachim and Anne to promise them a child. Joachim later returned to Jerusalem and embraced Anne at the city gate. The cycle of legends concerning Joachim and Anne were included in the Golden Legend
Golden Legend
The Golden Legend is a collection of hagiographies by Jacobus de Voragine that became a late medieval bestseller. More than a thousand manuscripts of the text have survived, compared to twenty or so of its nearest rivals...
and remained popular in Christian art
Christian art
Christian art is sacred art produced in an attempt to illustrate, supplement and portray in tangible form the principles of Christianity, though other definitions are possible. Most Christian groups use or have used art to some extent, although some have had strong objections to some forms of...
until the Council of Trent
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
restricted the depiction of apocryphal events. Traditional depictions (e.g., vestibular
Vestibule (architecture)
A vestibule is a lobby, entrance hall, or passage between the entrance and the interior of a building.The same term can apply to structures in modern or ancient roman architecture. In modern architecture vestibule typically refers to a small room or hall between an entrance and the interior of...
statuary) of Joachim show him bearing a shovel
Shovel
A shovel is a tool for digging, lifting, and moving bulk materials, such as soil, coal, gravel, snow, sand, or ore. Shovels are extremely common tools that are used extensively in agriculture, construction, and gardening....
.
No liturgical celebration of Saint Joachim was included in the Tridentine Calendar
Tridentine Calendar
The Tridentine Calendar is the calendar of saints to be honoured in the course of the liturgical year in the official liturgy of the Roman Rite as reformed by Pope Pius V, implementing a decision of the Council of Trent, which entrusted the task to the Pope....
. It was added to the General Roman Calendar in 1584, for celebration on March 20, the day after the feast day of Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
. In 1738, it was transferred to the Sunday after the Octave
Octave (liturgical)
"Octave" has two senses in Christian liturgical usage. In the first sense, it is the eighth day after a feast, reckoning inclusively, and so always falls on the same day of the week as the feast itself. The word is derived from Latin octava , with dies understood...
of the Assumption of Mary
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
. As part of his effort to allow the liturgy of Sundays to be celebrated, Pope Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
transferred it to August 16, the day after the Assumption, so that Joachim may be remembered in the celebration of Mary's triumph. It was then celebrated as a Double of the 2nd Class, a rank that was changed in 1960 to that of 2nd Class Feast
General Roman Calendar of 1962
This article lists the feast days of the General Roman Calendar as it was in 1962, following the reforms that Pope John XXIII introduced with his motu proprio Rubricarum instructum of 23 July 1960...
. In the Roman Catholic calendar of saints
Roman Catholic calendar of saints
The General Roman Calendar indicates the days of the year to which are assigned the liturgical celebrations of saints and of the mysteries of the Lord that are to be observed wherever the Roman Rite is used...
(in 1969) it was joined to that of Anne, for celebration on July 26.
The Eastern Orthodox Churches and Greek Catholics commemorate Joachim on September 9, the Synaxis of Joachim and Anne, the day after the Nativity of the Theotokos
Nativity of the Theotokos
The Nativity of the Theotokos, celebrating the birth of Mary, is one of the Twelve Great Feasts of the Eastern Orthodox liturgical year. It is celebrated on September 8 on the liturgical calendar .According to the sacred tradition of the Orthodox Church,...
.
Joachim is ascribed the title of "forebearer of God".
San Joaquin, California
San Joaquin, California
San Joaquin is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 4,001 at the 2010 census, up from 3,270 at the 2000 census. The nearest high school in the area is Tranquillity High School in Tranquillity...
was named in his honour.
In Islam
The House of Imran (Arabic: آل عمران) is the 3rd chapter of the Qur'anQur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
. Imran is Arabic for the biblical figure Amram
Amram
In the Book of Exodus, Amram Arabic عمران Imran, is the father of Aaron, Moses, and Miriam and the husband of Jochebed.-In the Bible:In addition to being married to Jochebed, Amram is also described in the Bible as having been related to Jochebed prior to the marriage, although the exact...
, the father of Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
, and Aaron
Aaron
In the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an, Aaron : Ααρών ), who is often called "'Aaron the Priest"' and once Aaron the Levite , was the older brother of Moses, and a prophet of God. He represented the priestly functions of his tribe, becoming the first High Priest of the Israelites...
, who is regarded by Muslims as being the ancestor of Mary and Jesus through his son Aaron
Aaron
In the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an, Aaron : Ααρών ), who is often called "'Aaron the Priest"' and once Aaron the Levite , was the older brother of Moses, and a prophet of God. He represented the priestly functions of his tribe, becoming the first High Priest of the Israelites...
. In Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
belief
Belief
Belief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true.-Belief, knowledge and epistemology:The terms belief and knowledge are used differently in philosophy....
, however, the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Joachim has been attributed the name Imran as well. Muslims distinguish between the two different individuals as:
- "ImranImranImran is an Arabic male given name. It means prosperity or long lived.The name may refer to:-Art:* Imran Hashmi, Indian actor* Imran Khan Imran is an Arabic male given name. It means prosperity or long lived.The name may refer to:-Art:* Imran Hashmi, Indian actor* Imran Khan (actor) Imran is...
, ancestor of Mary", who is Amram - "ImranImranImran is an Arabic male given name. It means prosperity or long lived.The name may refer to:-Art:* Imran Hashmi, Indian actor* Imran Khan Imran is an Arabic male given name. It means prosperity or long lived.The name may refer to:-Art:* Imran Hashmi, Indian actor* Imran Khan (actor) Imran is...
, father of Mary", who is Joachim
As for the figure of Joachim/Imran, he is revered by Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s for being the father of Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
and the grandfather of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
and also for being one of the most saintly men present in Jerusalem at the time, along side the priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
Zachariah
Zechariah (priest)
In the Bible, Zechariah , is the father of John the Baptist, a priest of the sons of Aaron, a prophet in , and the husband of Elisabeth who is the cousin of Mary the mother of Jesus.In the Qur'an, Zechariah plays a similar role as the father of John the Baptist and ranks him as a prophet alongside...
. By tradition, Imran's wife was Hannah, the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Saint Anne
Saint Anne
Saint Hanna of David's house and line, was the mother of the Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ according to Christian and Islamic tradition. English Anne is derived from Greek rendering of her Hebrew name Hannah...
.