In the Orthodox Church, Saints Joachim and Anna are especially revered. For many centuries, people who are unable to conceive a child have been calling on this couple, who love each other in sorrow and in joy. Unfortunately, this is a common case in the modern world. Many, due to medical reasons or other reasons, cannot become parents. Moreover, the desire is so strong that they are ready to take any step to ensure that a miracle happens.
Sometimes mistakes are made and spouses take the wrong path, turning to sorcerers, “grandmothers,” and psychics. And others take the road that goes to God and read a prayer to Anna and Joachim in church for the gift of children.
Prayers for infertility
(about the gift of children)
Hear us, Merciful and Almighty God, may Thy grace be sent down through our prayer. Be merciful, Lord, to our prayer, remember Your law about the multiplication of the human race and be a merciful Patron, so that with Your help what You have established will be preserved. By Your sovereign power You created everything out of nothing and laid the foundation for everything that exists in the world - You created man in Your image and, with a high secret, sanctified the union of marriage and the foreshadowing of the mystery of the unity of Christ with the Church. Look, O Merciful One, on these Thy servants (names) united in marital union and begging for Thy help, may Thy mercy be upon them, may they be fruitful and may they see their sons’ sons even to the third and fourth generation and live to the desired old age and enter the Kingdom of Heaven through Our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be all glory, honor and worship due with the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.
Anna's Day 2021 – what not to do
It is better for superstitious pregnant women to stay at home on Anna's Day: according to legend, if on this day a woman in the process of giving birth catches the eye of a cripple or simply a sick person, then the child will be born unhealthy.
Also, pregnant women are not allowed to:
- knitting, sewing - that is, dealing with threads - you will confuse the child’s fate or the umbilical cord will be tied;
- light a fire so that the baby does not have birthmarks;
- step over sharp objects and harnesses - otherwise expect a difficult birth.
Women generally try not to engage in physical labor on the day of their female patroness - but to pray and fast more (even pregnant women keep the Nativity fast on this day).
In the old days they said: if a girl wants to get married successfully and happily, she must keep a strict fast against Anna.
However, they still restore order in the house, because December 22 is already the day of the winter solstice, and it is not customary to celebrate it in a dirty house. And in general, they began to prepare for the New Year and Christmas: they made New Year’s toys, planned the New Year’s menu, checked supplies, etc.
Righteous Joachim and Anna, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
These saints bore bitter barrenness until old age, but then, with the blessing of God, they gave birth to the Most Holy Virgin Mary.
First prayer
Sanctification of the righteous, Godfathers Joachim and Anno! Pray to the Merciful Lord, that He may turn away His anger from us, according to our righteous deeds, and that, having despised our countless sins, He will turn us, the servant of God (names), to the path of repentance, and may He establish us on the path of His commandments. Also, with your prayers in the world, preserve our life, and ask for all good things, good haste, all that is needed for life and piety is given to us by God, from all misfortunes and troubles and sudden death, your intercession delivers us and protects us from all visible and invisible enemies, and this is temporary in the world Having passed this life, we will achieve eternal peace, and through your holy prayer may we be worthy of the Heavenly Kingdom of Christ our God, to whom, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be due all glory, honor and worship forever and ever.
Second prayer
In praise of the righteous women of Christ, the holy Godfathers Joachim and Anno, who stand before the heavenly throne of the Great King and great boldness towards the poor, as from your most blessed daughter, the Most Pure Theotokos and the Ever-Virgin Mary, who deigned to be incarnate, we resort to you, as a powerful representative and zealous intercessors for us, sins and unworthiness . Pray for His goodness, that He may turn away His anger from us, moving righteously towards us through our deeds, and may, despising our countless sins, turn us to the path of repentance and may He establish us on the path of His commandments. Also, with your prayers in the world, preserve our belly and ask for all good things, good haste, everything that is needed for belly and piety is given to us by God, from all misfortunes and troubles and unnecessary deaths, through your intercession we are delivered, and from all enemies, visible and invisible, protecting, like a quiet and we will live a silent life in all piety and purity, and thus in the world this temporary life has passed, we will achieve eternal peace, where, through your holy prayer, we may be worthy of the Heavenly Kingdom of Christ our God, to which, together with the Father and the Most Holy Spirit, be due all glory, honor and worship forever and ever. Amen.
Troparion, tone 2
Having become more righteous than the lawful grace, Joachim and Anna gave birth to us the God-given Child. Meanwhile, today the Divine Church brightly triumphs, merrily celebrating, honoring your memory, glorifying and erecting the mountain of salvation for us in the house of David.
Troparion of Saints, tone 2
We celebrate the memory of Thy righteous ones, O Lord; we pray to Thee, save our souls.
What do the saints pray for?
Orthodox Christians quite often turn to Saints Joachim and Anna. In the church tradition, a series of prayers, an akathist, and a canon are dedicated to them. It is believed that a request to the righteous couple helps in the same troubles from which they themselves suffered. Therefore, they are usually approached with the desire to have a child. But not only in childbirth can the parents of the Mother of God help.
Since their lives were filled with tender mutual love and care for each other, Joachim and Anna are prayed for the granting of family well-being in marriage. So that the union is as strong as that of the saints. If there is discord in the house, the spouses cannot reconcile and find peace, then it also makes sense to ask the righteous couple for help.
Well, of course, prayer to these saints will help raise a child correctly. After all, the daughter of Anna and her husband, newborn Mary, became the embodiment of the Divine miracle, joy, hope. Like no one else, this family understood how great a joy and responsibility it is to be a parent and raise a child.
You can contact Anna and Joachim with requests or thanks on their memorial days, which are celebrated several times a year: August 7, September 22, December 22. On these dates, you can go to church or pray at home in front of the image of the saints.
To the Prophet Zechariah and Righteous Elizabeth, parents of John the Baptist
These pious spouses also had no children until old age, and then, with the blessing of God, they gave birth to John the Baptist.
Troparion to the Holy Prophet Zechariah
You were clothed with the garments of the priesthood in wisdom, according to the law of God you offered burnt offerings in a most sacred manner, Zechariah, and you were a lamp and a spectator of the secret, bearing signs of grace in you clearly to all wisdom. And he was killed by sword in the temple of God, the prophet of Christ, with the Forerunner pray for the salvation of our souls.
Kontakion
Today the prophet and priest of the Most High, Zechariah, offer, Forerunner parent, a meal of his memory, feeding the faithful, dissolving the drink of righteousness for everyone, for this sake he dies, like the Divine secret place of God’s grace.
Reading rules
Anna and Joachim are allowed to pray both in church and at home. If there is a real need, you can purchase an icon of the righteous couple. Despite the fact that this is a rare image, it is possible that it can be found in a church shop or on workshop sites on the Internet. Of course, when a person intends to especially pray to a saint, he must do this in front of the icon.
When turning to God and the righteous, you need to light a lamp or candle. It is necessary to renounce all worldly concerns. In the event that spouses have very serious problems and are on the verge of despair, prayer can help. Sometimes, with the blessing of a spiritual shepherd, a person reads a canon or akathist for 40 days. It helps solve a problem or find comfort. But for such large obligations it is necessary to obtain the permission of the priest.
Reverend Roman
It is said about this saint: Through prayer, create many barren wives and give birth to children. During his lifetime, this saint ate only bread, salt and water, and never used a lamp. During his lifetime, he healed the ailments of many. They pray to Him for the resolution of childlessness.
Prayer to all saints and ethereal heavenly powers
Divinely holy and resting in the saints, sung by the thrice-holy voice in heaven from the Angels, praised on earth by man in His saints: having given grace to everyone by Thy Holy Spirit according to the gift of Christ, and having thereby given Thy holy Church two Apostles, two prophets, two evangelists, two shepherds and teachers. , their own word of preaching. You, the One who acts all in all, have accomplished many holiness in every generation and generation, having pleased You with various virtues, and having left us with the image of our good deeds, in the joy that has passed, prepare, in the same place the temptations themselves were, and help us who are attacked. Remembering all these saints and praising their godly lives, I praise You Himself, who acted in them, and believing in Your gifts of goodness, I diligently pray to You, Holy of Holies, grant to me sinners to follow their teaching, moreover, by Your all-effective grace, the heavenly ones with them will be worthy of glory, praising the Most Holy Your name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.
Prayer to the Reverend
Sanctified head, reverend father, blessed Abvo Roman, do not forget your gods to the end, but always remember us in holy and auspicious prayers to God: remember your flock, which you yourself shepherded, and do not forget to visit your children, pray for us, holy father, for the children your spiritual, as if you had boldness towards the Heavenly King: do not be silent for us to the Lord, and do not despise us, who honor you with faith and love: remember us unworthy of the Almighty Throne, and do not stop praying for us to Christ God, for grace has been given to you to pray for us . We do not imagine that you are dead: even though you have passed away from us in body, but remain alive even after death, do not depart from us in spirit, preserving us from the arrows of the enemy and all the charms of the demonic and the machinations of the devil, to our good shepherd ashebo and the relics of your cancer before is always visible to our eyes, but your holy soul with the angelic hosts, with disembodied faces, with heavenly powers, standing at the throne of the Almighty, worthily rejoices, knowing that you are truly alive after death, we bow down to you and we pray to you: pray for us to the Almighty God, oh for the benefit of our souls, and ask for time for repentance, so that we may pass from earth to heaven without restraint, may we be freed from the bitter torment, the demons of the princes of the air, and may we be delivered from eternal torment, and may we be heirs of the Heavenly Kingdom with all the righteous, who from all eternity have pleased our Lord Jesus Christ: it is fitting for Him all glory, honor and worship, with His Beginning Father, and His Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.
Troparion to the Saint, tone 8
You, father, know that you were saved in the image of accepting the cross, following Christ, and teaching you to despise the flesh, because it comes: being diligent about the soul, things more immortal: in the same way your spirit rejoices with the Angels, Rev. Roman.
Kontakion to the Saint, tone 2
Having armed yourself with divine purity of soul, and having firmly handed over unceasing prayers like copies, you prosecuted the demonic militia of Romane, pray unceasingly for all of us.
Greatness to the Reverend
We bless you, Rev. Father Roman, and honor your holy memory, mentor of monks and interlocutor of Angels.
First Martyr Evdokia
Women who cannot get pregnant pray to Saint Evdokia. Evdokia, having accepted Holy Baptism and renounced her wealth, pleased God with her strict fasting life and received the gift of working miracles.
Troparion, tone 8
With righteousness and intelligence, having bound your soul into the love of Christ, the corruptible and the red, and the temporary oblivion, you flowed in, like a disciple of the Word: with the polish of passion, having first killed, you have put to shame the second enemy with suffering. Therefore, Christ vouchsafes greater crowns to you, glorious Evdokie, reverend passion-bearer, pray to Christ God to save our souls.
Next, read a prayer to all the saints and ethereal heavenly powers (see above).
Infant Martyr John of Kiev-Pechersk
This baby, cut in half, is one of the babies of Bethlehem. Prayers before his grave help in resolving infertility.
First, read a prayer to all the saints and ethereal heavenly powers (see above).
Troparion to the Martyr, tone 4
Thy martyr, Lord John, in his suffering received an imperishable crown from You, our God, for having Thy strength, overthrow the tormentors, crush the demons of the weak insolence, save our souls with prayers.
Kontakion to the Martyr, tone 6
The bright star appeared in the world, proclaiming the Sun of Christ with yours, passion-bearing John, and you extinguished all the charm, giving us light, praying unceasingly for all of us.
Glorification of the martyr
We magnify you, passion-bearing Saint John, and honor your venerable suffering, who you endured for Christ.
