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| I love this Icon of St. Anna from Kykkos Monastery in Cyprus. It shows St. Anna's Daughter, the Virgin Mary, and Her Grandson, the Baby Jesus, symbolically sitting in her lap. It also shows the vital role of the Men of her Family - St. Joachim and St. Joseph. |
I was not born with the name Anna, but rather I chose that name when I converted to the Greek Orthodox Faith. It is common for those who convert to Orthodox Christianity to choose a new name - especially if the name they were born with is not the name of a Saint.
So, when I was converting, I had the daunting task of finding a Saint that I especially admired, whose name I would share, and who would pray for me.
Many, many Saints are Saints because they were Martyrs for their Faith. The only thing we now know about many Saints is the fact that they were Martyrs. St. Anna is not one of those.
Many other Saints are Saints because they were great Monastics, who choose for the sake of their Love of God to live without an earthly family. St. Anna is not one of those - she was a married woman.
St. Anna, to most appearances, lived a "normal" life. She was a wife and she was barren. She wanted a child very much, but did not let that desire get in the way of her great Love for God, as many people might when they have a strong desire that God does not grant. Instead of becoming bitter over being deprived of her desire, she was faithful. In fact, so faithful that she and her Husband gave Two-Thirds of their income to the service of God! They attended the Temple faithfully, and prayed faithfully.
Then, miraculously because Sts. Joachim & Anna were past the normal age of childbearing, God granted them what they asked - a beautiful baby Daughter - a Daughter who was to become the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ!
But, when she received the Child that God gave her, Saint Anna did not hold on to her selfishly- but instead, just like Hannah, the Mother of the Prophet Samuel, St. Anna gave her little Daughter back to God - to serve Him all her life! It was this great sacrifice that prepared the Virgin Mary to become the Mother of God (we call the Virgin Mary the Mother of God not because she somehow pre-existed & created God -she did not - but because she participated in the great miracle of God becoming Man- and she was miraculously HIS Mother! To deprive her of this title is to deny the Divinity of Christ.).
I love St. Anna because she served God through serving her family and her community. She lived in Love & submission to God all her life- whether or not she got what she wanted. She gave generously to God - both at the Temple and through the Poor. And she Lovingly gave back to God the Child he gave her. Most importantly, she became the Mother of the Mother of God
When I converted, I was middle aged & single. I suppose a lot of people assumed that I chose St. Anna as my Patron Saint because I wished - like St. Anna - to be Blessed with a Child in middle age. But, that was not really on my radar screen. I fully expected to live out my life as a Single Christian - I simply admired St. Anna's faithful service to God through her community. But, that was not what God had in store for me. As it happened, I DID marry in middle age, and was blessed with a beautiful Child (and an easy labor) when I least expected it. I am sure that the prayers of St. Anna had a part in my being so Blessed!
Christ is Glorified in His Saints!
II Thessalonians 1:10
10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
For more information about St. Anna, check out these links:
http://orthodoxwiki.org/Joachim_and_Anna
http://www.goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=329
http://www.goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=140
http://oca.org/saints/lives/2013/09/09/102547-holy-righteous-ancestor-of-god-anna
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I learned alot by reading this post of yours! Thanks so much! It was interesting!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you liked it : )
DeleteI did as well!😀
DeleteI did as well!😀
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ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite aunts was named Anna. I also have a cousin names after her names Anna. I think you have selected a lovely name for your new name. The Bible tells us that one day we will all have a new name, and perhaps you have already found it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog. and do write the stries you can remember now lest they be forgotten.
Thanks so much - and thanks for hosting : )
DeleteThank you so much for sharing your lovely story here at "Tell Me a Story."
ReplyDeleteAnna - What strikes me as that doesn't Anna mean Grace? I am struck my that name also and have recently used it in a book I just completed! Blessing and grace be with you from UNITE this Tuesday, Jen
ReplyDeleteThanks so much - I appreciate you hosting : )
DeleteInteresting, to say the least. I'm glad you were so touched by Anna, and took her to your life. I also agree with what Hazel said about names. When I read Revelation [which is often] and it says this about the white stone: I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. [Rev. 2:17]. I'm looking forward to that day. Like my name OK, but excited to know what HE is naming me in those eternal years.
ReplyDeleteHappy for you for serving the Lord faithfully. Appreciate you.
Thank you for your kind comments - good to have you visit! : )
DeleteI forget your name day is in Sept since my mom celebrates it in the summer. May God gant you many blessed years!!!
ReplyDeleteA lovely post Anna. Anna is a lovely name and I didn't know that you are Orthodox. Here's one of my favourite Greek songs about "Annoula" with English subtitles. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HqzVIXx9ew
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy it :)
Thanks so much for sharing that, Ivy : ) I had never seen the words in English before. (and, my Greek isn't so good, although I try)
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