The Saint Anne Novena

The Saint Anne Novena is a nine-day Catholic prayer through the intercession of Saint Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ. The novena is prayed for mothers, grandmothers, families, those seeking a faithful Catholic spouse, and the conversion of children to the Catholic faith.

Origin and historical development

Catholic veneration of Saint Anne goes back to the second-century Protoevangelium of James, the early Christian text that preserves her name and the principal events of her life. The major Catholic shrines associated with her cult are Sainte-Anne-d'Auray (Brittany, France) and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré (Quebec, Canada), the oldest pilgrimage site in North America (founded 1658).

The novena form is prayed in preparation for the feast of Saint Anne (jointly with Saint Joachim) on July 26.

Structure of the novena

Each day attends to one aspect of Saint Anne's life and one corresponding intention: her faithful waiting through years of childlessness, her motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary, her grandmaternal relation to Christ, her patronage of Catholic mothers, her intercession for difficult marriages, her protection of grandchildren, her care for the sick and elderly, her witness to a holy old age, and her welcome of the dying.

When the novena is prayed

The traditional dates of the novena are July 17 through July 25, ending on the eve of the joint feast of Saints Anne and Joachim on July 26. The novena may also be prayed at any time of year for personal intentions involving family, fertility, motherhood, or the welfare of children.

Theological foundation

The Catholic theology of Saint Anne rests on her position in salvation history as the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the human channel through which God prepared the immaculate vessel of the Incarnation. For the broader Catholic theology of Mary's parents, see What are the four Marian dogmas? and the saint pages for Saint Anne and Saint Joachim.

Pairing with other prayers

The novena pairs naturally with Marian prayers (Hail Mary, Memorare, the Holy Rosary) and with the Saint Joseph Novena (Saint Joseph being Mary's spouse).

Sources

The principal early source is the Protoevangelium of James (second century). For the great Catholic shrines and modern devotion, see the documentation of Sainte-Anne-d'Auray and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.