Anna

By Mary Jane Chaignot

Anna means "graced" one.
Anna lived in the temple as a prophet; she worshipped night and day in prayer and fasting.
She was at least 84 years old.
She was, of course, in the temple when Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus for the purification ceremony.
She heard Simeon speak to Mary.
Then she spoke about Jesus to all those who sought the liberation of Jerusalem.
She spoke for God.
She was an elder, a wise woman.
Anna is mentioned as a woman of exemplary piety.

Bibliography

Aland, Kurt. Synopsis of the Four Gospels. Germany: Bible Society Stuttgart, 1972.

Beare, F.W. The Gospel According to Matthew. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1981.

Brown, Raymond. The Birth of the Messiah. New York: Doubleday, 1993.

Gaventa, Beverly. Mary: Glimpses of the Mother of Jesus. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1999.

Geldenhuys, Norval. Commentary on the Gospel of Luke. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B Eerdmans, 1977.

Griffith-Jones, Robin. The Four Witnesses. San Francisco: Harper Collins, 2000.

Johnson, Luke Timothy. The Gospel of Luke. Sacra Pagina Series. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1991.

Sallberg Kam, Rose. Their Stories, Our Stories. New York: Continuum Publishing, 1995.

Summers, Ray. Commentary on Luke. Waco, TX: Word Books, 1972.

Bible Characters