Very often, turning to the icons of St. Anna or with a prayer for help and protection, ignorant believers are not exactly sure which Anna they are trying to establish contact with. This leads to the fact that prayers remain unheeded, and their faith is questioned. Let's look at all the famous saints named Anna, as well as the areas of their patronage.
Saint Anne, Mother of the Virgin
December 22, August 7 and September 22 in the new style are dedicated to the memory of the holy righteous Anna. Saint Anna comes from the family of Aaron, and her husband, Saint Joachim, comes from the house of King David himself, from where, according to ancient legends, the Messiah was to come. The couple lived in Nazareth and monthly gave part of the proceeds to the construction of the Temple of Jerusalem, as well as donations to the poor.
Unfortunately, God did not give a couple of children to a ripe old age, about which the spouses grieved unspeakably. It is known that among the Jews, childless families are considered the most unfortunate, and barrenness is called a severe punishment from God. However, the saints did not give up and fervently prayed forthe appearance of offspring. Joachim went to the desert and spent 40 long days there, praying for a miracle, while Anna blamed herself for their misfortune, she also asked the Lord to give her a child, promising to bring it as a gift to God.
The couple's prayers were heard, an angel descended to them and announced a miracle. Thus, in Jerusalem, the couple had a daughter - the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to legend, the holy righteous Anna died at a ripe old age in Jerusalem before the Annunciation. The first temple in honor of the saint was built in Devter, and her Assumption is celebrated on August 7th. Prayers are offered to St. Anne in case of infertility, as well as in case of complications during pregnancy, in order to gain he althy offspring. Like Saint Anna, Mary, her daughter, began to live a pious life and was rewarded with the happiness of giving birth to Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Princess Anna Kashinskaya
Among Russian saints, Anna Kashinskaya occupies a special place. It is known that every saint possesses this or that virtue, which he can endow with the believers praying to him. Anna's virtue is patience - one of the most valuable qualities of Christians, without which further spiritual development is impossible.
St. Anne's lot of sorrows fell to her lot. She devoted her whole life to God, eventually becoming a nun. The saint's great-grandfather, Vasily of Rostov, gave his life for the faith, refusing to betray Orthodoxy. Saint Anna of Kashinskaya also lived at a time when Christians were subjected to all kinds of persecution: during the yoke of the Horde.
All the troubles that befell Anna and her family,just don't count. It all started with the death of her father. Then the Grand Duke's tower with all the property was destroyed by fire. After some time, Anna's husband, Mikhail, fell seriously ill. Death bypassed him, but touched the first-born of the spouses - their daughter Theodora died in infancy. Finally, trouble befell Prince Michael as well: the Horde tortured him to death, trying to force him to accept their idols.
Trials and sorrows of the princess
The tests of faith and patience of the saint did not end there. One after another, her close and dear people died: first, her eldest son, who tried to avenge the death of his father, then the second son and grandson died during the uprising in Tver. After that, Anna decided to become a nun, going to her own monastery. There she devoted the rest of her life to offering prayers for the peace of mind of her family and friends, as well as for the liberation of the Russian land.
In 1368 St. Anna of Kashinskaya died and was buried in the Dormition Monastery. For a long time, her tomb was left without due attention, but rumors about miracles from the relics of the saint reached the Patriarch, and it was decided to open them. However, even after her death, the troubles did not leave the saint, and soon she began to be considered a symbol of schismatics, as a result of which she was deprived of the status of a saint for as much as 230 years. The first Cathedral of St. Anne was built in St. Petersburg in 1910.
St. Anna of Kashinsky is prayed before important undertakings, as well as facing troubles and temptations. They also come to her coffin before marriage and before becoming a monk. Saint Anna - patroness of orphans and widows -blesses every Christian soul who asks for help.
Righteous Anna the Prophetess
Holy righteous Anna, Phanuel's daughter, was an extraordinarily virtuous woman. Having married early, but having lived with her husband for only 7 years, she dedicated the rest of her life to God, kept a strict fast and prayed tirelessly. For her temperate and modest life, as well as for her unshakable faith, the saint was awarded the gift of foresight. It is noteworthy that she was the only woman named in the New Testament as a Prophetess.
At the age of 84, Saint Anna the Prophetess was honored to see Jesus in one of the temples of Jerusalem. The baby was brought to be dedicated to God, and Anna, together with Simeon the God-bearer, proclaimed him the Messiah.
The memory of St. Anne is dedicated to February 3 and 16, as well as September 10. This saint is considered the patroness and protector of babies. If your child falls ill, turn to the icon of St. Anna with sincere prayer - and you will see a real miracle. Also, St. Anna the Prophetess helps to heal from infertility, sorrow and temptations. Girls born with this name should carry the icon of the saint with them in order to protect themselves from all evil and temptations.
Church of Saint Anne in Jerusalem
The main church dedicated to St. Anne is, of course, in Jerusalem, on the spot where Anna gave birth to Mary. The church was built in 1142, but it was perfectly preserved, contrary to expectations. Queen Melisande strongly supported the construction, being a spiritual follower of St. BernardKlervovsky. For her good deeds, the queen was honored to be buried in the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin.
In 1187, the crusaders were expelled from Jerusalem, and many churches were destroyed, but the church of St. Anne survived. In 1856, the church was donated to Napoleon III for help in the Crimean War, and then was transferred to the "White Fathers" - a monastic brotherhood.
Later, the church was restored by M. Mouse, who restored the spirit of the Crusader era. In 1954, Philippe Cappelin, a French sculptor, built the main altar. On both sides of it, as well as on the pediment, the most important events in the life of Mary are depicted: the introduction to the Temple, training, the Annunciation and others. Worthy of attention is the underground crypt, which you can go down from the basilica. It is she who is considered the main holy place of the church.
Miracles occur even when leaving the church. Not far from the shrine, at the Sheep Gate, there is another remarkable place: a reservoir where Jesus once performed a miracle of healing. The water from the font was considered sacred, and many sick people sent from the temple were waiting for divine healing here.
Miraculous Spring
The small Ukrainian village of Onishkivtsi is always ready to receive guests: there is a famous healing spring that has helped many people get rid of ailments. The source is located near the skete of St. Righteous Anna, and therefore bears her name. Gradually flowing into a small lake, it grants healing from infertility, so hundreds of women come to St. Nicholas Women'smonastery to ask for a miracle.
According to ancient legends, the holy lake of Anna did not arise without divine help. First, a church was built in its place, which was destroyed during the invasion of the Tatars. After some time, it was restored, and the place was marked by the appearance of the image of St. Anna. The icon was brought to the temple, but the next day it was discovered that it had moved to the place of appearance. This miracle happened several times, after which a chapel was built on this site. Some time later, and scored the holy spring.
During the time of total atheism, the church was destroyed again, and the source was covered with earth and covered with concrete slabs. However, the sacred water broke through, and the peasants cleared a place for the return of the lake.
Now a whole bathhouse has been built on the site of the lake, with separate cabins for men and women. It is noteworthy that the temperature of the lake does not change, regardless of the season. In summer, the water does not heat up, and in winter it does not freeze…
Gothic Cathedral in Vilnius
This church is considered a real masterpiece of late Gothic. The small cathedral looks so fragile and miniature that it attracts much more admiring glances than the huge church of St. Bernard standing behind it. Who exactly and in what period of time built this cathedral is not exactly known, but it looks so dazzling that Napoleon himself wanted to move it to Paris.
Now the famous Church of St. Anne is considered one of the symbols of Vilnius. If you look closely at the main facade of the cathedral, you will find the letters "A" and "M", which can mean "Ave Maria" or "Anna Mater Maria". According to some experts, the composition of the façade imitates the pillars of the Gediminids, the tops of which are 3 small turrets.
In the 19th century, a bell tower was built next to the church, made in pseudo-Gothic style. Now a beautiful park has been laid out near the church, where those who wish can sit in the shade of trees or lie on the grass, enjoying the beauty of the cathedral. For tourists, special excursions lasting one and a half or 3 hours are held, including with Russian guides.
Church in Augsburg
The church, together with a small monastery, was built in the very center of the city in 1321, after which it was restored and reconstructed many times. Already by 1420, thanks to donations, the monastery of St. Anna doubled its original area. The Chapel of the Jewelers was built, and then the Chapel of the Fuggers. It belonged to one of the most influential families in the city and was practically the first building in the Renaissance style.
One of the attractions of the church is the Marten Luther Museum. Its history dates back to 1518, when Luther arrived in the city for a theological conversation with the cardinal himself. As a result of this meeting, the papal legate planned to arrest the leader of the partisans. However, after the meeting, Luther secretly left the city. In 1551, a new history of the temple began, where a school was opened, and then the St. Anne's gymnasium. A little while later the citythe architect erected a new building specifically for the gymnasium with a library and a church tower with a spire.
Church decorations
In the 16th century, the church became the owner of a unique collection of paintings that can be seen there to this day. Some of the works of art belong to the hand of the great German master Lucas Cranach the Elder. As for the artistic component of the design of the temple, there is something to see for both pilgrims and ordinary tourists who are not related to the Christian faith. First, you should pay attention to the paintings on the ceiling, made in the Rococo and Baroque styles. Numerous frescoes and stucco depict such great events as the Day of Judgment, the Crucifixion and the Sermon on the Mount.
Constructed entirely with donations, the Jewelers' Chapel has been enlarged and decorated with frescoes depicting King Herod. According to the plot, the king turns to the warlocks with a request to find out the whereabouts of Jesus. Also, the frescoes depict Jesus himself, the Magi, Saints Helen, George and Christopher.
Athos Skete of St. Anna
In Greece there is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites dedicated to St. Anne. The Athos skete has a miraculous icon that patronizes motherhood. It is known that thousands of people, after praying before the icon, received children, and St. Anna helped them. The icon has been standing here since ancient times, this is evidenced by an old lamp with an egg, standing next to the icon.
It turns out that this lamp was presented to the skete by the Turkish Sultan more than 200 years ago! The history of this gift is extremely interesting. The fact,that Sultan Limnu was childless, and, as mentioned earlier, among Muslims, infertility is like a curse on the whole family. Time passed, the Sultan gradually grew old, and there was still no hope of finding offspring. Then rumors reached him that in the Athos Skete there is a miraculous icon that helps parents find children. And the Sultan did not hesitate to send generous gifts to the monastery with a request to bring him holy water and oil from the lamp.
However, the pilgrims thought: “How can we give the shrine to a person who does not even profess Christianity?” And they poured out the oil. However, the Sultan believed in the power of the icon and again demanded that the pilgrims fulfill his request. Confused, the pilgrims went to the fathers of the skete for advice. What do we do? they asked. “If we do not fulfill the request of the Sultan, he will execute us!” And the fathers answered: “Then bring him plain oil and plain water.”
It was decided to do so. Believing in the miraculous power of the icon, the Sultan drank ordinary water from the stream and began to pray desperately, because St. Anna became his last hope. The icon really helped, and soon a miracle happened: the Sultan received his long-awaited son! Filled with gratitude, the sultan sent a lamp adorned with a precious stone. However, thieves soon stole the stone, and the Sultan sent a silver egg in its place.
For prayer to gain power…
Many people refuse to believe in God just because their prayers are not answered. But what if it is the fault of the worshipers themselves? The fact is that very often we are too focused on our ownour own sorrows, in order to pay due respect and attention to the greatness of the Lord, to whom we turn. When we focus only on our own needs, our prayer loses its power. The main condition for the success of any prayer is trust in the love and power of God, who wants to help us.
For prayer to be powerful, you need to consider it in the light of the grace of God, then we can ascend to him, and the prayer will be heard. Learn to "meet" God in every prayer. After all, we yearn to meet our loved ones and relatives, but most often we just want something from God. However, God is not like a salesman. He bestows goodness on those who truly believe and long for the very presence of the Lord in their lives.
On the example of the Sultan, one can judge that it is not so much the religion of a person that is important, but the sincerity of his prayers and motives. Therefore, even if the “infidel” sincerely turns to God and asks for his participation in his life, the Lord will answer his prayers.
