Luke iii. 23. Aug. l. 23. contra Faust. c. 9. Vide T. 5. nov. Edit. S. Hieronym. p. 44.JOAKIM, the husband of S. Anna, and father to the blessed Virgin; grandfather to Jesus Christ after the flesh. We believe him to be the same as Eli mentioned in St. Luke. Eli, Eliakim, and Joakim, are properly the same name. The name of Joakim, father of the blessed Virgin, is not to be met with in the canonical writings of the New Testament; but has been adopted by the Greek and Latin Churches. In the Latin principally, since the festival of S. Anna and S. Joakim has been celebrated, and among the Greeks long before. S. Austin, in his answer to Faustus the Manichee, says, that the name of Joakim being known only from apocryphal writings, could not be made use of as an argument. But among the Greeks this name is to be met with in writings of the greatest antiquity. The Proto-evangelium, or preparatory Gospel of S. James, which is a work composed by the Ebionites in the Apostles times, or at least in the second age of the Church, says a great deal of Joakim and Anne. The apocryphal Gospel of the birth of Mary speaks of them likewise. This book is thought to have been composed by Seleucus, an Author in the second Age.
Pet. Alex. Can. 13.St. Peter of Alexandria makes mention of the death of Zechary father to S. John Baptist, who was killed between the Temple and the Altar, and of St. Elizabeth’s flight, which are circumstances taken from the preparatory Gospel of St. James. Gregory of Nyssa cites Nyssen. orat. in Natale Domini, p. 778, 779.the same work, and relates other circumstances from it: for example, that Zechary still maintained the blessed virgin, even after her conception to be a virgin. He adds, that her father was an Israelite of eminent piety, who had a barren wife, that his wife, by reason of her barrenness, not being able to partake of the privileges, which were allowed women who had born children; desired of God that he would be pleased to bless his marriage, and at the same time devoted the fruit of it, which she should bring into the world, to God. God was pleased to give him the virgin Mary, who was educated at the Temple, till the time when she was disposed of to Joseph, that he might be the guardian of her virginity. These are particulars which he relates at large; and it is very visible, that he took them from the book which I have been speaking of, and which has been handed down to us. We meet with almost the same things in a discourse of Eustathius of AntiochEustat. Antioch. in Hexaemeron. upon the Hexaemeron, and S. Epiphanius1; which shews the antiquity of this tradition. From these sources S. John Damascenus2, Vincent of Beauvis3, and Fulbert of Chartres4, have borrowed what they have said concerning the blessed Virgin’s death. The tradition of Joakim’s being the father of Mary, was so general in the east, that even Mahomet speaks of it in his Alcoran.
Alcoran. Surat. 3.I do not mention this with a design of attributing any authority to the apocryphal books, wherein the name of Joakim is to be met with; but only to prove the antiquity of this tradition in the Church. Neither the Ebionites, nor Manichees, nor Seleucus, had any interest in deceiving us with regard to the names of Joakim and Anne. They had learned these names from others, and reported them in their works with a design only of procuring a better reception of them from the Catholicks. This is a summary account of what we read in S. James’s preparatory Gospel, which is the most ancient monument, wherein the name of Joakim, the Virgin’s father, is to be met with. Joakim was a man of power in Israel, who at all solemn festivals made magnificent sacrifices in the Temple. Upon a certain day, when he intended to present his offering, one Reuben told him, that it was not lawful for him, because he had no posterity in Israel. Joakim, with great confusion, hereupon retired into the wilderness, where he had large flocks. There he continued forty days, exercising himself in fasting and prayer. Anne, his wife, on her part, being incensed at the reproaches of one of her maid-servants, went into her garden, and there lamented bitterly the misfortune of her barrenness. An angel declared to her that God had heard her prayer; and at that very time another angel told the same thing to Joakim.
Damian. homil. 46. p. 106. Bernard. Ep. 174.Joakim returning to his house, Anne conceived, and brought forth a daughter, whom they named Mary. Three years after they presented her at the Temple, where she was fed by the hand of an angel, till she was twelve years old. Then she was given to Joseph, in order to his being the guardian of her virginity. From this time there is nothing more said either of Joakim or Anne; and Cedrenus tells us, that the blessed Virgin lost her father and mother at twelve years of age. They who please may consult the Bollandists on Joseph. Antiq. l. xii. c. 5. initio.the 19th of March upon this subject, and M. de Tillemont, tom. 1. not. 2. concerning the blessed Virgin, and our Dissertation, wherein we attempt to reconcile S. Matthew and S. Luke, as to the point of our Saviour’s Genealogy: this is prefixed to our Comment on S. Luke. The worship of S. Joakim and S. Anne is very ancient in the east; but it is more modern in the west. In the time of Peter Damian, and S. Bernard, there was no knowledge of it remaining. It is said, that Pope Julius appointed the feast of S. Joakim to be observed upon the 20th of March, about the year 1510. In a Martyrology printed in 1491, it is set down at the 9th of December. Pius V. struck it out of the Roman Breviary: but Gregory XV. replaced it there, at the 20th of March in 1620. See Bollandus and M. de Tillemont, and M. Bayle’s Dictionary, under the name of Joachim; this author however is to be read with great precaution, by reason of the scandalous liberties taken by him.
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