On the feast day of Sts. Anne and Joachim on Tuesday, the maternal grandparents of Jesus, the Diocese of Raleigh asked for their intercession when it comes to would-be parents.

St. Anne had trouble conceiving a child, Britannica says, so she prayed to God, promising that if she could had a child, she would bring the child up in the service of the Lord. One day, an angel visited Anne and Joachim and told them they would give birth to Mary.

“Let us ask these great saints, parents of the Blessed Mother and grandparents of Jesus, to intercede for those hoping to have a child,” the diocese posted on Facebook.

St. Anne and her husband Joachim are celebrated as the patron saints of grandparents each year on July 26. Anne is also the patron saint of women in labor.

St. Anne's life had much in common with that of Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel. Her story is described in the Old Testament, Britannica says.

Mary’s parents are not mentioned in the Bible, so religious scholars relied on non-scriptural writings and legends to piece together what they know about Sts. Anne and Joachim, according to Catholic.org. Most sources agree on the point that Mary had good and faithful parents who raised her to love and serve God, in accordance with St. Anne’s prayerful promise.

Celebrating Sts. Anne and Joachim allows Catholics to reflect on the important role grandparents play in the family unit, an article in the National Shrine says.

The article included a quote from Pope Francis, who said, ”Sts. Joachim and Anne were part of a long chain of people who had transmitted their faith and love for God, expressed in the warmth and love of family life, down to Mary, who received the Son of God in her womb and who gave him to the world, to us. How precious is the family as the privileged place for transmitting the faith!”