top of page

July 26

 

Saint of the day:
Saints Joachim & Anne


Patron Saints of Grandparents

Saints Joachim and Anne’s Story

​

In the Scriptures, Matthew and Luke furnish a legal family history of Jesus, tracing ancestry to show that Jesus is the culmination of great promises. Not only is his mother’s family neglected, we also know nothing factual about them except that they existed. Even the names Joachim and Anne come from a legendary source written more than a century after Jesus died.

The heroism and holiness of these people however, is inferred from the whole family atmosphere around Mary in the Scriptures. Whether we rely on the legends about Mary’s childhood or make guesses from the information in the Bible, we see in her a fulfillment of many generations of prayerful persons, herself steeped in the religious traditions of her people.

The strong character of Mary in making decisions, her continuous practice of prayer, her devotion to the laws of her faith, her steadiness at moments of crisis, and her devotion to her relatives—all indicate a close-knit, loving family that looked forward to the next generation even while retaining the best of the past.

Joachim and Anne—whether these are their real names or not—represent that entire quiet series of generations who faithfully perform their duties, practice their faith, and establish an atmosphere for the coming of the Messiah, but remain obscure.

​

https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saints-joachim-and-anne/
http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=22

Prayer:
 

Visit:


 

St Anne  

(Relics: Apt, France; Bologna, Italy; Sainte-Anne d’Auray, France; Sainte-Anne de Beaupré, Quebec, Canada; Vienna, Austria)

Historically the tombs of Saints Joachim and Anne have been thought to rest below the Church of St Anne in Jerusalem.
(Formerly called St Mary in Probatica.) However, at present this tradition is not noted in the church.

​

Cathédrale Sainte-Anne / La Cathédrale d’Apt

(Saint Anne’s Cathedral / Cathedral of Apt)

44 Place de la Cathédrale

84400 Apt, France

*The first chapel on the left side of the nave is dedicated to St Anne. A reliquary niche within this chapel contains busts of several saints including St Anne.

*It is uncertain how the relics of St Anne arrived in this church. Popular legend claims that they were brought by St Lazarus in the 1st century. However, it is more likely that they were transferred from the Holy Land to Constantinople and then brought to France after 1204 AD.


Sanctuaire Sainte-Anne d’Auray

(Sanctuary of Saint Anne of Auray)

9 Rue de Vannes

56400 Sainte-Anne d’Auray, France

*A small chapel dedicated to St Anne was destroyed at this location in the 7th century. Ten centuries later it is said that St Anne began appearing to a simple villager and requested that a new church be built over this ancient chapel. A sanctuary was then built and a relic of St Anne was given to this church as a gift.

 

Cattedrale di San Pietro

(Cathedral of Saint Peter)

Via Indipendenza 7

40126 Bologna, Italy

*The head of St Anne is said to rest within a reliquary in the second chapel on the right side of the nave.

*In 1435 the King of England, Henry VI, gave this relic to the city of Bologna after their bishop, Blessed Nicolò Albergati, smoothed relations between England and France during the 100 Years’ War.


Annakirche (Saint Anne’s Church)

Annagasse 3b

1010 Vienna, Austria

*A relic of St Anne’s hand is preserved within this church. Each year this relic is brought out on July 26th for public veneration.

 

Sanctuaire Sainte-Anne de Beaupré

(Sanctuary of Saint Anne of Beaupré)

10018 Avenue Royale

Sainte-Anne de Beaupré, Quebec, G0A C30, Canada

*During the last four centuries this shrine has obtained three relics of St Anne. In 1670 it obtained a portion of a bone from her finger. Then in 1892 and again in 1960 the shrine received two separate forearm bones. One of these forearm bones is currently enshrined in the left transept of the upper church.

 

Church of St Anne in Jerusalem
Holy Lands

​

Cathédrale de Sainte-Anne d’Apt.

​

Vienna, Austria, possesses the right hand of St. Anne, which is devoutly venerated in the beautiful church which bears her name.

An arm of the Saint was solicited and obtained by the Popes and placed under the care of the Benedictine monks in the magnificent monastery church of St. Paul-Outside-the-Walls in Rome. In May, 1960, the Benedictines gave the forearm to the Shrine of St. Anne de Beaupré in Canada.

In the Cathedral of Bologna, Italy, a large portion of the Saint’s head is venerated.

http://www.magdalenepublishing.org/saint-anne-relics-discovered/

​

 

Recipe

​

 

Saint Anne: Traditional Bakery Item

​

 

Crème Sainte-Anne

(St. Anne's Cream)

 

  • 1/2 c. sugar

  • 2 Tbsp. water

  • 1 Tbsp. butter, unsalted

  • 1/4 c. macaroons, crushed

  • 6 egg yolks

  • 1 can of sweetened condensed milk

  • 4 oz. cream cheese 

  • 1 TBSP vanilla

  • zest of a lime

​

Directions:​

  1. Butter 4 ramekins. (This dish can be made in ramekins or in a flan mold. The finished product is shown from a flan mold.)

  2. Put the sugar in a pan and moisten with 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil and cook to amber caramel. Pour the caramel into 4 ramekins, to make a thin layer in each, and allow to set. (Cook the sugar long enough to turn the sugar to a caramel color)

  3. Place a thin slice of butter on the caramel in each ramekin and sprinkle each with the chopped macaroons.

  4. Mix in a blinder the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, the cream cheese, the vanilla and the lime zest until creamy. 

  5. Pour into the prepared ramekins. The macaroons will float to the top.

  6. Stand the ramekins in a tray of simmering water that comes halfway up their sides. Bake in a moderate oven at 325°F (160°C) for 20 to 25 minutes until set. Allow to cool, loosen edges and turn out onto a plate.

  7. (I baked mine for 28 minutes and it could have still used a few more minutes... I am sure this varies depending on your oven, but mine usually tends to bake hotter/ quicker so you may need to increase the baking time.)
     

 

 

 

 

Gâteau Sainte-Anne

Cake:

  • 4 eggs

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 2 tbsp. dark rum

  • 2 cups flour

  • 1 ½ tsp. baking powder

  • 1 cup butter

  • 1 cup grated chocolate

  • 1 cup ground almonds

  • 1 tsp vanilla

Icing:

  • 2 cups powdered sugar

  • 1 tbsp milk

  • 1 tbsp rum

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
     

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350.

  2. With an electric beater, blend eggs and sugar until frothy.

  3. Add rum and flour mixed with baking powder.

  4. Blend in rest of ingredients.

  5. Grease and flour your cake pan (bundt) and fill with the mixture.

  6. Bake for 50 minutes or until done.

  7. Mix the ingredients for the icing.

  8. Add more powdered sugar or more rum until the consistency is right.
    For a thinker icing add more sugar and a stick of salted butter.
    Mix until litght and fluffy. Garnish with fresh berries and edible flowers.

​

 

 

 

 

Shellfish is a traditional food to prepare on St. Anne’s Day and Brittany is a region particularly devoted to St. Anne,  the Brittany region is known for: moules marinières or Mariner’s Mussels.

​

Mariner’s Mussels

  • 5 pounds of mussels

  • 10 oz of Riesling d'Alsace

  • 1 knob of butter (about two TBSP)

  • 2 shallots

  • 2 oz of flat parsley, chopped

  • 3 garlic gloves, chopped

  • Black Pepper TT

​

Directions:

  1. Finely chop the shallots, parsley and garlic cloves. In a hot casserole dish, brown with a knob of butter.

  2. Pour all the mussels together into the dish, let cook 2 minutes, continuously stirring.

  3. Then add the wine, pepper and continue to cook for 6 minutes.

  4. In deep plates, serve the mussels in their juice.

bottom of page