Cherished by generations of believers, St. Anne is recognised as a guiding figure of maternal love and spiritual strength. Her story has been passed down through early Christian writings, which tells of her deep faith and long years of childlessness.
Anne and her husband Joachim were described as being devout, but for many years they were childless—a status in those days considered to be shameful. In their old age, after praying intently, they were blessed with a daughter: Mary. Anne’s witness of waiting and trust in God made her a compelling image for women, especially women wishing for children or who were experiencing motherhood.
She eventually gained recognition as the patroness of elderly people, grandparents, mothers, and expectant mothers. Her feast day, celebrated on 26 July, remains important in many Catholic and Orthodox communities. She represents generational love and the strength that often lies quietly in the background of family life.
St. Anne’s shrines around the world
The quiet presence of St. Anne has been treasured across centuries of Christian faith. Her fame extended far and wide beyond her homeland and numerous churches and shrines in her honor became great centers of pilgrimage. These sacred locations still draw the faithful seeking her intercession, comfort, and strength.
Renowned for its spiritual atmosphere of piety, the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica is Canada‘s greatest pilgrimage site. Along the shores of the St. Lawrence River, for centuries pilgrims by the thousands have come to this holy place, many in search of healing and hope. The basilica is known for its collection of crutches and braces left behind by those who believe they were cured after praying to St. Anne.
In Sri Lanka, on the coast of the Puttalam district, lies the Shrine of St. Anne in Thalawila. This is one of the island’s most historic Christian sites. According to local legend, a Portuguese sailor was shipwrecked nearby in the 17th century. After praying to St. Anne, he survived and later built a church in her honour. Every August, thousands gather there for the annual feast, blending spiritual devotion with community celebration.
Back in Europe, in the heart of Brittany, France, is the Sanctuary of Sainte-Anne d’Auray. The story goes that St. Anne appeared to a local farmer in the 1600s and asked for a chapel to be rebuilt on an old holy site. It has since remained as a sacred place of Breton Catholicism, with annual pilgrimages being taken there to honor the grandmother of Christ.
Though the scriptures preserve no words of St. Anne herself, her enduring presence is felt in the hearts of all who pray for her intercession. She has provided unseen courage, comfort and hope to countless believers who pray to her across generations.
