Saint Anne in the New Testament Apocrypha

The contemporary hagiological research emphasises that the Saints point to Jesus Christ and lead to Him. Owing to them we are able to better recognise the Saviour in His divinity and His humanity. This particularly refers to those Saints who belonged to Jesus's earthly family. They certify the historical truth of Christ and His submergence in the history of men. They authenticate Jesus Christ as a real man. The aim of the following work entitled Saint Anne in the New Testament Apocrypha is the presentation of Saint Mary's mother in the source materials: The Gospel of James, The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, Libellus de Nativitate Sanctae Mariae, The Armenian Gospel of the Infancy and the Transitus of John the Theologian. Reaching for the apocrypha seems reasonable due to the scarcity of information about her in the canonical texts. They signify the development of theological awareness among the believers in Christ and are fully-fledged sources of theological research. Saint Anne is not a leading character of the apocrypha. She is always shown in the context of her relation to Saint Mary. The way she is presented depends on the Mariological approach dominating in the given work (christological Mariology, anthropological Mariology). Anne is depicted above all as the mother of Mary, a person of noble simplicity, supporting people in need with prayer and alms. Her leading characteristics is absolute trust in God, even during trying times of suffering. Anne is a model wife and mother, worried about her husband and household. Her life calling was giving birth and raising the mother of the Saviour.