Joachim came from the family of David, and Saint Anna - from the family of Aaron. They were very generous, merciful. They spent only a third of their income on themselves. The other third was sacrificed for the temple, and the last third was distributed to the poor. They are the parents of the Virgin Mary. Three days' journey from Jerusalem was the small town of Nazareth. The righteous Joachim and Anna lived there, whom the Holy Church calls "Bogotians". Daily sorrow darkened the lives of these good people: they had no children. On one of the great feasts, Joachim came with his relatives to the Jerusalem temple. He wanted to make a sacrifice to God. The temple was overflowing with people. Joachim stood before the high priest and revealed his desire to him. The high priest began to reprimand him that because of his sins, God did not bless him with children. Joachim became sad. He left the temple, consoling himself with the thought of the countless mercies of God to the people of Israel. However, his grief became so great that he did not want to return home. He went into the wilderness where his flock was grazing. There he spent 40 days in prayer and strict fasting. He prayed fervently that God would have mercy on him, perform a miracle - that he too would become a father, just as Abraham once became a father in ancient times. The news of Joachim's anxiety in Jerusalem reached Anna in Nazareth. She grieved even more than her husband. She considered herself the reason for their childlessness. And like her husband, she began to pray to God just as fervently to bless her with a child. Finally, an angel of the Lord stood in front of her and said to her: "Anno, Anna, your prayer has been heard. Your cries have crossed the clouds. Your tears fell before the Lord. You will give birth to a blessed daughter, because of whom all the families of the earth will be blessed. Through her salvation will be given to the whole world. You will call her Maria." Anna immediately made a promise that if she gave birth to a child, she would give it to the service of God. At that time, the angel of the Lord also appeared to Joakim in the desert and said to him: "God heard your prayer." Your wife Anna will give birth to a daughter who will be your common joy. To be sure of my words, go to Jerusalem. There at the golden gates you will find your wife, to whom this joy has already been announced." The happy couple met in Jerusalem. They wept for each other at the appearance of the angel and offered a sacrifice together in the temple. On December 9, the Holy Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of the Conception of Saint Anna. This is the day on which the holy Virgin Mary was conceived in her womb. Nine months after that - on September 8 - the pure Virgin was born into the world. Having reached the age of three, little Mary, the future most holy Mother of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, was taken to the Jerusalem temple. Thus, her parents fulfilled their promise: they gave their only child to the service of God.