Luke ii. 36, 37.II. ANNA, the Daughter of Phanuel, a Prophetess and Widow of the Tribe of Asher, is mentioned in S. Luke. She was married early, and lived but seven years with her Husband. Being then disengaged from the ties of marriage, she thought only of pleasing God. She continued, without ceasing, in the Temple, serving God day and night, with fasting and prayers1. She was fourscore years of age, when the holy Virgin came to present Jesus in the Temple, and entring accidentally while old Simeon was pronouncing the hymn of thanksgiving, which we read in the Gospel, Anna likewise began to praise God, and to speak of the Messiah to all those who waited for the redemption of Israel. We know nothing more either of the life or death of this holy Prophetess. The Roman Martyrology fixes her festival to the first day of September; that published by Canisius, to the twenty eighth of August; that of Ugellus, and the Menæa of the Greeks, join the festival of S. Anna the Prophetess and that of old Simeon together, on the third of February.
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Footnotes
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Translators’ note. Her serving God at the Temple day and night, says Dr. Prideaux*, is to be understood no otherwise than that she constantly at-* tended the morning and evening Sacrifice at the Temple, and then with great devotion offered up her prayers to God; the time of the morning and evening Sacrifice, being the solemnest time of prayer among the Jews*, and the Temple the solemnest place for it*. ↩