Anna

(Sept. Anna; some versions have Hannah which is nearer to the 
original Hebrew. The Hebrew word means "graciousness", from the 
root word Hannan, "to be gracious.") 

There are four women named "Anna" in Sacred Scripture. 

(1) Anna (Samuel i-ii, 21), mother of Samuel, was one of the two 
wives of Elcana, a man of Ramah, a Zuphite of the hill-country of 
Ephraim. As a true woman of her nation, she felt keenly the 
reproach of barrenness, all the more so that her rival, Phenenna, 
more favoured than she, did not fail to remind her of her 
affliction (Samuel i, 6-7). On one of the family's pilgrimages to 
Silo, Anna made a vow that, should God bless her with a son, she 
would consecrate him to His service as a Nazarite (Samuel i, 9-
11). Her prayer was heard, and after weaning her son she brought 
him to Heli in Silo (Samuel i, 24-28). This generous fulfilment of 
her vow was amply rewarded (Samuel ii, 21). Anna's canticle 
(Samuel ii, 1-10) gives rise to questions similar to those 
concerning the Magnificat, to which it has some striking 
resemblances. Though a beautiful psalm, it is found inappropriate 
on Anna's lips, having no special reference to her situation, 
beyond the quite general remark in v. 5b. Unless v. 10b be taken 
as a prophecy of the rise of the monarchy or of the Messiah, the 
canticle would be, whatever its more precise date, posterior to 
the establishment of the monarchy. 

(2) Anna, wife of Tobias, was, like her husband, of the tribe of 
Nephtali (Tob., i, 1-9). Together with her husband and son, also 
called Tobias, she was taken into captivity to Ninive by 
Shalmanaser (i, 2, 11). Her role is quite secondary in the 
narrative. Her rather passionate nature serves to bring out more 
strongly by contrast the deeply religious character of Tobias (cf. 
ii, 19-23 and the beautiful prayer which his misunderstanding with 
his wife brings on the lips of Tobias iii, 1-6). Her sincere and 
solicitous love for her son is well expressed in v, 23-28; x 1-7; 
xi, 5 (cf. the remark above). 

(3) Anna is carefully described by Luke, ii, 36-38, as a 
prophetess, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser. The 
biographic notes given by Luke regarding the aged prophetess, of 
whom legend knows that she had had Mary under her tutelage in the 
Temple, bring out her great sanctity. In spite of her early 
widowhood, she had never married again, but had devoted her life 
to the service of God. She answers perfectly the portrait if the 
model widow of I Tim.,v, 5-9. As she used to spend most of her 
time in the Temple, her presence at the scene narrated in Luke, 
ii, 25-35, is easily understood. Hence her praise to God, the 
subject of which was Jesus, with the burden that He was the 
longed-for Redeemer. 

(4) Anna is also the traditional name of the mother of the Blessed 
Virgin Mary. 

EDWARD ARBEZ  
Transcribed by Ann Waterman