Feast of San Gioacchino

San Gioacchino, ora pro nobis

August 16th is the Feast of San Gioacchino (St. Joachim), father of the Blessed Virgin Mary and husband of Sant’Anna. Patron saint of spouses, parents and grandparents, he is co-patron of Vernole, Lecce with his wife Sant'Anna. The great Patriarch is also one of the 52 co-patrons of Naples. In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to St. Joachim. The accompanying photo was taken at the now-closed Saint Joseph's Church (5 Monroe Street) in New York City. Evviva San Gioacchino!

Prayer to Saint Joachim

O great and glorious Patriarch, Saint Joachim, what joy is mine when I consider that thou wast chosen among all God's holy ones to assist in the fulfillment of the mysteries of God, and to enrich our earth with the great Mother of God, Mary most holy! By this singular privilege, thou hast become most powerful with both the Mother and her Son, so as to be able to obtain for us the graces that are needful to us; with great confidence I have recourse to thy mighty protection and I commend to thee all my needs and those of my family, both spiritual and temporal; and especially do I entrust to thy keeping the particular favor that I desire and look for from thy fatherly intercession.

And since thou wast a perfect pattern of the interior life, obtain for me the grace of interior recollection and a spirit of detachment from the transitory goods of this life, together with a lively and enduring love for Jesus and Mary. Obtain for me in like manner a sincere devotion and obedience to Holy Church and the sovereign pontiff who rules over her: to the end that I may live and die in faith and hope and perfect charity, ever invoking the holy names of Jesus and Mary, and may I thus be saved. Amen.