Discover the Novena to Saint Anne
From July 17 to 25, journey through nine days of reflection and prayer with this special novena to Saint Anne, written by Jacques Gauthier.
“May this novena draw us ever closer to Jesus and Mary through the intercession of Saint Anne, our grandmother in heaven.”
Saint Anne Novena
July 26 – Feast of Saint Anne and Saint Joachim
Anne and Joachim, we pray to you for parents and grandparents in our country and throughout the world. May they be filled with tenderness for their children and grandchildren
VOIR PLUSJuly 25 – Saint Anne: Our Universal Grandmother
Saint Anne, you cared for Mary so that she would lack nothing. Welcome into your arms your grandchildren who are most in need. Show them God’s goodness.
VOIR PLUSJuly 24 – Saint Anne: Patron of Grandparents
Devotion to Saint Anne reflects the Christian identity passed on from generation to generation by parents and grandparents. Rooted in culture and faith, they ensure a living continuity between past,...
VOIR PLUSJuly 23 – Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Quebec
. Local pilgrimages offer many people an opportunity to reconnect with their cultural and spiritual roots, to experience communion and solidarity, and to live in harmony with the rhythm of...
VOIR PLUSJuly 22 – Sainte-Anne-d’Auray, France
Devotion to Saint Anne has deeply marked Brittany, where the shrine of Sainte-Anne-d’Auray is located. This place became well known through Saint Anne herself, who appeared to a farmer, Yvon...
VOIR PLUSJuly 21 – Saint Anne: Help of Christians
What became of Anne and Joachim after they brought Mary to the Temple? At what age did they die? Did they ever meet Joseph, their daughter’s husband?
VOIR PLUSIntroduction
The feast of Saint Anne (together with her husband, Saint Joachim) is celebrated in the Catholic Church on July 26. It is often preceded by a novena (nine days of prayer), which can be the high point of a pilgrimage to a shrine or holy place.
Each year, the novena continues to draw large crowds in places around the world—from Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré in Quebec to Sainte-Anne-d’Auray in France —especially to the beloved pilgrimage at Lac Ste. Anne in Alberta, where a great annual Indigenous pilgrimage brings together 40,000 people in prayer, and healing along its sacred waters.
The Gospels tell us nothing about Anne and Joachim. Their names are first mentioned in a document written around the year 150, the Protoevangelium of James. Devotion to them is based not on what they did, but on who they are: the parents of Mary and the grandparents of Jesus. The faithful have naturally grown close to them, especially because of the family values they represent.
Anne has been venerated in Jerusalem since the fifth century. Devotion to her, older than that of her husband, developed alongside that of the Virgin Mary. It has steadily grown since the 14th century. “Good Saint Anne,” as she is affectionately called, continues to inspire the faith and prayer of generations of believers. Many entrust to her a member of their family or an unborn child, and seek her protection in the circumstances of daily life.
This novena is inspired by my book Saint Anne, Our Grandmother in Heaven (Novalis/Salvator, 2026, 120 pages). Each day, I reflect on a particular aspect of her life and devotion, beginning with a verse from the Word of God. I then meditate on it and relate it to our own lives, concluding with a short prayer.
May this novena, which can be prayed at any time of the year, draw us ever closer to Jesus and Mary through the intercession of Saint Anne, our grandmother in heaven.