The name Anna – Orthodox magazine “Thomas”

Righteous Anna: Life of the Mother of God
Saint Anna in Orthodoxy is a day of remembrance
Prayer protector: icon of St. Anne
Prayer to Joachim and Anna

When finding themselves in difficult life situations or facing insoluble problems, Christians always call on Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and the heavenly intercessor. It can be your personal guardian, the patron of a specific profession, or an ascetic who is turned to in certain circumstances. And from our article you will learn in what cases St. Anna comes to the rescue!

Holy Blessed Princess Anna Kashinskaya (1280–1368)

Princess Anna was the wife of Prince Mikhail of Tver, who was killed in the Horde on the denunciation of Prince Yuri of Moscow. Her eldest son, Mikhail's heir, Prince Dmitry Groznye Ochi, hacked Yuri of Moscow to death in the Horde and was killed. Her other son, Alexander, and grandson Fedor also died in the Horde, protecting the people of Tver from the wrath of the khan after the khan’s envoy was killed in Tver.

Mikhail Tverskoy goes to the Horde

Anna for a long time helped her sons in the affairs of governing the principality. At the end of her life she took monastic vows, and just before her death she took the schema. She spent the last year of her life in the city of Kashin, in the Assumption Monastery built especially for her.

In 1549, Anna's husband, Prince Mikhail of Tver, was canonized. And 100 years later, after examining miracles and examining the relics, a cathedral organized by Patriarch Nikon canonized Anna Kashinskaya.

In 1677, by the commission of Patriarch Joachim, Saint Anna was crossed out from the calendar, since the Old Believers pointed to the blessing gesture in which the saint’s hands were folded as confirmation of the greater antiquity of the two-fingered system. But the veneration of Anna Kashinskaya did not stop. Records of healings from her coffin continued to be kept, religious processions were held to the Nerl River, where the princess said goodbye to her husband, who was leaving for the Horde. And in 1818, some time after the establishment of Edinoverie, the Holy Synod returned the name of Anna to the calendar.

Repeated canonization took place in 1909. Emperor Nicholas II played a decisive role in it. In St. Petersburg, the first church was consecrated in honor of the holy princess - the temple of the metochion of the Vvedeno-Oyatsky Monastery. Today in this temple everyone can venerate the relics of the holy blessed princess Anna Kashinskaya.

Commemoration of the righteous in Orthodoxy

Saint Anna in Orthodoxy is one of the most famous women. Her memory is celebrated on the day of her Assumption - August 7 (according to the old style - July 25), on the feast of the Nativity of the Madonna on September 22 (September 9) and on December 22 (December 9), when, according to legend, the Conception of the Blessed Virgin took place.

Until the VIII century. The relics of the Mother of God were kept in Jerusalem, but later they were transferred to Constantinople. Parts of the remains are located in the monastery of Stavrovouni in Cyprus, in the monasteries of Kutlumush and Stavronikita on Athos. Since 2008, particles of the relics of St. Anna were transferred by monks to the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Iverskaya” in the Dnieper. The first monastery in honor of the righteous woman was built in 701 in Florian, not far from Rouen (France). Now the churches of St. There are Annas in many domestic and foreign cities - for example, one of them, built over a healing spring, is located in the Rivne region, in the village of Onishkivtsi.

The source of St. Anne in the Rivne region in the village of Onishkivtsi

Other famous saints named Anna:

Anna the Prophetess -

mother of the prophet Samuel

Anna was barren for a long time, so her husband even took another wife. One day Hannah was praying, falling in front of the tabernacle and silently moving her lips. The high priest Eli took her for drunk, but when she told him about her grief, he said: “Go in peace, and the God of Israel will grant your request.” Then Anna conceived and gave birth to Samuel (lit. “asked of God”). When the boy grew up, Anna took him to Eli and dedicated him to God.

Song of thanksgiving to the holy prophetess Anna (1 Sam. 2

:1–10) precedes both the messianic prophecies of Isaiah and the song of the Virgin Mary (Lk
1
:46–55).

Anna the Prophetess -

pious widow

Anna the Prophetess, pious widow. Rembrandt

Together with Simeon the God-Receiver, she met the Savior in the Jerusalem Temple, where on the 40th day after his birth the Most Holy Theotokos and Joseph the Betrothed brought him (Lk 2

:36–38).

“Don’t put hats on my tomb.” First canonization

Years passed. Gradually, the Tver lands went to Moscow, and the family of the Kashin appanage princes began to be forgotten. In 1611, almost three hundred years after her dormition, Princess Anna appears in a dream to Gerasim, the sexton of the Assumption Cathedral, in which her relics rested, and heals him of a fatal illness. At the same time, she reproachfully said to the sexton: “You neglect me and trample under your feet, and do not understand that I am protecting your city from the hands of enemies, evil and misfortunes.”

The princess ordered Gerasim to tell the priest of the cathedral and the entire clergy to light a lamp over her coffin in front of the image of the Savior and not place any more hats on the coffin.

The vision of the sexton alarmed the whole city. People began to remember that, indeed, in 1606–1611, when the Poles and Lithuanians burned Russian cities, the enemies approached Kashin several times, but for some reason they left each time. And the fire, which recently threatened to burn the entire city, somehow miraculously stopped on its own.

The people poured into the cathedral, the tomb was put in order, and rumors about Princess Anna reached the Tsar himself. People gradually began to call upon the saint for help in their prayers and learned from experience about the power of her intercession. Data about miracles occurring through prayers to the princess began to be collected and recorded. In 1649, under the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and Patriarch Nikon, the canonization of Princess Anna took place. During the opening of the tomb, her incorruptible relics were found, and several miraculous healings took place before everyone's eyes. During the description of the incorruptibility of the relics, it was recorded that the fingers on the princess’s right hand were folded in the form of a two-fingered sign of the cross.

Interesting Facts:

The name Anna came to Rus' with the adoption of Christianity - from the Greeks. Byzantine princess Anna (963-1011/1012), the sister of the Byzantine emperor Vasily II, became the wife of the Kyiv prince Vladimir, the future baptist of Rus'. Having become related to the emperor of Byzantium, Vladimir, by agreement, freed Korsun, which he had occupied, and was baptized.

The famous expression “Anna on the neck” comes from the name of the Order of St. Anne, established in honor of Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1797, it was introduced into Russia by Emperor Paul I. The motto of the order: “To those who love truth, piety and fidelity.”

The popularity of the name Anna in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century was so great that even the electric tram with the letter “A” that was launched along the boulevard ring in Moscow in 1911 was nicknamed “Annushka” by Muscovites.

The peak of popularity of the name Anna in Russia occurred in 1920. Every thirteenth newborn girl that year was named Anna by her parents. Today the name Anna is one of the ten most popular names in Russia.

Children of Yaroslav and Irina

Irina became the mother of seven sons and three daughters. Her sons are especially famous: the holy noble prince Vladimir of Novgorod (✝1042, commemorated on October 4), Grand Duke Izyaslav of Kiev , Svyatoslav of Chernigov , Vsevolod of Pereyaslav (father of Vladimir Monomakh).

Irina’s daughters, like their father, mother and brothers, were raised in a. The chronicler reports that Yaroslav “sown bookish words” in the hearts of people close to him. The Grand Duchess taught the children their native language, and they perfectly understood the Scandinavian sagas that the Varangian warriors sang at the prince’s court. The daughters of Irina and Yaroslav became queens: Anna - French, Maria - Hungarian, Elizabeth - Norwegian.

Prayers before the icons of St. Anna

Troparion to Venerable Anna Kashinskaya, tone 3

Today we praise you, reverend mother, Grand Duchess Nun Anno: for as a vine is fruitful among thorns, you have flourished in the city of Kashin with your virtues, you have surprised everyone with your wonderful life, and you have pleased Christ God, and now, rejoicing and having fun, you remain with joy reverend women enjoying heavenly beauty and joy. We pray to you: pray for us, the Lover of mankind, Christ our God, to grant us peace and great mercy.

Kontakion to St. Anna Kashinskaya, tone 4

Like a bright star, you appeared in the Russian land, in the city of Kashin, the Venerable Mother Anno, in all the pious and faithful wives, like a krin, you flourished with your pure and immaculate life, in the nuns you completed your works and exploits, and you ascended to the Highest City , rejoicing and having fun, as if you had completed your course well, and now your honest relics, like precious beads, appeared for healing to all who come with faith. Thus we cry to you: Rejoice, all-red soul, and pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls.

Greatness

We bless you, reverend mother, Grand Duchess Anno, and honor your holy memory, teacher of nuns and interlocutor of the Angel.

Prayer to Venerable Anna Kashinskaya

O reverend and blessed mother Anno! Humbly falling before your honorable relics, we pray diligently with tears: do not forget your poor to the end, but always remember us in your holy and auspicious prayers to God. O blessed Grand Duchess Anno! Do not forget to visit your children, even though you passed away from us in body, but even after death you remain alive and do not depart from us in spirit, preserving us from the arrows of the enemy, all the charms of the demonic and the snares of the devil. Our zealous prayer book! Do not stop praying for us to Christ our God, even though the relics of your cancer are visible before our eyes, but your holy soul, standing with the Angelic hosts at the Throne of the Almighty, worthily rejoices. We fall down to you, we pray to you, we are dear to you: pray, most blessed Anno, to our All-Merciful God for the salvation of our souls, to ask us time for repentance and to pass from earth to Heaven without restraint, to be delivered from bitter ordeals and eternal torment and to be the heir to the Kingdom of Heaven to be with all the saints, who from time immemorial have pleased our Lord Jesus Christ, to Him be glory, with His Beginningless Father, and with His Most Holy, and Good, and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer to Saint Anna the Prophetess

O holy servant of God, holy Anna the Prophetess! Having fought a good fight on earth, you received the crown of righteousness in Heaven, which the Lord has prepared for all who love Him. In the same way, looking at your holy image, we rejoice at the glorious end of your life and honor your holy memory. You, standing before the Throne of God, accept our prayers and bring them to the All-Merciful God, to forgive us every sin and help us against the wiles of the devil, so that, having been delivered from sorrows, illnesses, troubles and misfortunes and all evil, we will live piously and righteously in the present We will be worthy through your intercession, even though we are unworthy, to see good on the land of the living, glorifying the One in His saints, the glorified God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer to the holy righteous Godfathers Joachim and Anna

First prayer

O holy righteous woman, Godfathers Joachim and Anno! Pray to the Merciful Lord, that He may turn away His anger from us, who is righteously moved towards us by our deeds, and may, despising our countless sins, turn us, the servant of God (names), to the path of repentance, and may He establish us on the path of His commandments. Also, with your prayers in the world, save our life, and in all good things, ask for good haste, all that we need from God for life and piety, from all misfortunes and troubles and sudden death, through your intercession, delivering us and protecting us from all enemies, visible and invisible. , and so in the world this temporary life has passed. Let us achieve eternal rest, where through your holy prayer may we be worthy of the Heavenly Kingdom of Christ our God, to whom, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be due all glory, honor and worship forever and ever.

Second prayer

Oh, blessed righteous women of Christ, holy Godfathers Joachim and Anno, standing before the Heavenly Throne of the Great King and having great boldness towards Him, as from your Most Blessed Daughter, the Most Pure Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, who willed to be incarnate! We, sinners and unworthy, resort to you, as a powerful intercessor and a zealous prayer book for us. Pray for His goodness, that He may turn away His anger from us, righteously moved against us by our deeds, and may, having despised our countless sins, turn us to the path of repentance and may He establish us on the paths of His commandments. Also, with your prayers in the world, preserve our life and ask for all good haste, everything that we need from God for life and piety, freeing us from all misfortunes and troubles and vain deaths through your intercession, and protecting us from all enemies visible and invisible, for let us live a quiet and silent life in all piety and purity, and so in the world this temporary life has passed into eternal peace, whereby through your holy prayer we may be made worthy of the Heavenly Kingdom of Christ our God, to Him, together with the Father and the Most Holy Spirit, befits all glory, honor and worship forever and ever. Amen.

Troparion, tone 2

Having once been righteous in legal grace, Joachim and Anna gave birth to the God-given Child. Meanwhile, today the Divine Church brightly triumphs, merrily celebrating, honoring your memory, glorifying God, who raised the horn of salvation for us in the house of David.

Decanonization

At the same time, Nikon’s reforms began to gain strength, outlawing a huge number of believing people who opposed the innovations of the Patriarch. And one of the weighty arguments in favor of two fingers were the relics of the Holy Princess Anna, which testified in favor of the Old Believers.

In February 1677, an event occurs that has no analogues in the history of the church. After decades of veneration, with a huge amount of evidence in favor of the holiness of Princess Anna, by the decisions of two councils her name was deleted from the synodik of saints revered by the church. The Patriarch sends a commission to Kashin, which suddenly discovers out of nowhere a lot of “inaccuracies” in the description of the saint’s life, and in the meantime tries to “correct” the finger shape on the relics of Princess Anna, turning the fingers in the correct way. But for some reason, the next day they return to the same position they were in before.

The commission recognized the tales of miracles as unreliable, the coffin was ordered to be sealed, the celebration not to proceed, and silver and gold jewelry to be removed from the holy shrine. Some clergy who witnessed the relics during canonization were imprisoned.

Patriarch Joachim glorified himself with such a shameful decision. Under him, a criminal code was also adopted, introducing death for preaching the old faith. Joachim himself said: “I don’t know either the old faith or the new, but whatever the rulers tell me, that’s what I do.” But the people revered the princess, preserved her relics, and the memory of her holiness did not disappear anywhere.