According to ancient writings Emerentia used to visit the essenes on Mount Carmel and she met and married an essene. It was believed that the essenes would produce a messiah from Mount Carmel, reportedly a stronghold of the essenes of Nazareth. Emerentia gave birth to Anne, grandmother of Jesus and Elizabeth, grandmother of John the baptist.
Anne married Joachim and Mary was born with thanksgiving after a period of infertility. At the age of three she was taken to the temple to be educated. From the age of about twelve the priests and elders wanted to find a husband for her. She may have been fourteen years or so when Joseph, who had one son was chosen. He took her home to his house to guard her. The priests gave her thread to spin. According to an ancient script she became pregnant at the age of sixteen and spent her pregnancy with her cousin Elizabeth because no one knew. Joseph visited her in her sixth month and was very upset at her pregnancy but he took her back. The high priest was angry about her condition, first blaming Mary, then Joseph. They survived the priests anger and returned home. They were married before Jesus was born.
Anne is the patron saint of poverty, unmarried women, child care providers, childless people, grandparents, homemakers and pregnancy. Joachim is the patron saint of fathers and grandparents. Their feast day is on Sunday 26th July.