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'Anna' or 'Anna the Prophetess' was a biblical figure appearing in Gospel of Luke alone. According of the Gospel of Luke, she was an aged Jewish prophetess and prophesied about Jesus at the time of his birth, at Temple of Jerusalem. The full story can be found in Luke 2:36-38.
Her life and background is obscure, while Luke gave some elements. From the three verses in Luke, we know the following about Anna:

★ She was a prophetess

★ She was a daughter of Phanuel

★ She was a member of the tribe of Asher

★ She was married (husband is not named)

★ Her husband died after seven years of marriage

★ She was a devout Jew as demonstrated by prayer and regularly practiced fasting

Contents

Veneration

References

External links

Veneration

The Eastern Orthodox Church commemorates Anna as saint, Anna the Prophetess. Eastern Orthodox Church considered Anna and Simeon the God-Receiver as the last prophets of Old Testament and observes their feast on February 3/February 16 as the synaxis (afterfeast) following Presentation of Christ, which Orthodox tradition calls "The Meeting of Our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ"^[1].
Also her figure is drawn in the icons of Presentation of Christ, together with Holy Child and Virgin Mary, Joseph and Simeon the God-Receiver. Orthodox tradition considers that Christ met his people, Israel, in the persons of those two, Simeon and Anna^[2]. Anna is often placed backward of Mary. Anna either raises her hands to Christ, to show people him as Christ, or hands a scroll which is attributed often to prophets in Orthodox iconography.

References

1. Afterfeast of the Meeting of our Lord in the Temple
2. The Meeting of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Temple

External links

★ Saint Anna the Prophetess by Rembrandt.