Saints Joachim and Anna lived 50 years in marriage and could not have children. They were wealthy and very pious. Once, when they went to Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice to God, the high priest Issachar told Joachim that he was not worthy to receive a gift from his hands, because he was childless. So the others who had children pushed them behind them as unworthy. This greatly saddened the two old souls and with great sadness they returned to Nazareth. At home, they both went to pray to God to perform a miracle on them as He had once done for Adam and Sarah and to grant them a child to comfort them in their old age. God sent them the archangel Gabriel, who announced to them that God had heard their prayers. And Anna immediately conceived and after 9 months gave birth to the Most Holy Virgin Mary.

Saint Anna (mother of the prophet Samuel). Venerable Stephen the Newly Enlightened. Saint Sophronius, Archbishop of Cyprus. Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch. Christmas Fast.