Zacharie (father of John the Baptist)

6.1 In Jerusalem I see Joachim and Anne, together with Zacharias and Elizabeth, coming out of a house, which must belong to friends or relatives, and they are heading towards the Temple for the ceremony of the Purification.

Anne is carrying the Baby, all wrapped up in swaddling clothes, or rather, all tied up in a wide garment of light wool, which, however, must be soft and warm. It is impossible to describe how carefully and lovingly she carries and watches her little creature, lifting the edge of the fine warm cloth to see if Mary is breathing freely, and then she readjusts it to protect Her from the sharp air of a clear but cold winter day.

Elizabeth is holding some parcels in her hands. Joachim is pulling with a rope two big and very white lambs, which are more like rams than lambs. Zacharias has nothing in his hands. He is handsome in his linen garment, which can be seen under a white heavy woollen mantle. Zacharias, much younger than the one already seen at the birth of the Baptist, in his full manhood, as Elizabeth is a mature woman, but still fresh in her appearance: and she bends in ecstasy over the tiny sleeping face, every time Anne looks at the Baby. She also looks beautiful in her blue almost dark violet dress and in her veil that covers her head and then falls on her shoulders and on the mantle, which is darker than her dress.

But Joachim and Anne are certainly solemn in their best clothes. Unexpectedly, he is not wearing his dark brown tunic. Instead he has on a long garment of a very deep red, which we would now call St. Joseph’s red, and the fringes attached to his mantle are new and beautiful. He, too, is wearing a kind of rectangular veil on his head and it is secured with a leather band. Everything is new and of excellent quality.

Anne, oh! She is not wearing dark clothes today! Her dress is a very pale yellow, almost the colour of old ivory, tied at her waist, neck and wrists with a large belt that seems of silver and gold. Her head is covered by a very light damask veil, held at her forehead by a thin but precious plate. She has a filigree necklace around her neck and bracelets at her wrists. She is like a queen, also because of the dignity with which she wears her dress, and particularly her cape, which is of a light yellow colour hemmed with a Greek fret beautifully embroidered in the same shade.

«You look exactly as the day you got married. I was just a little older than a girl, then, but I still remember how beautiful and happy you were» says Elizabeth.

«But now I am even more so… and I decided to wear the same dress for this rite. I had kept it for this… and I was no longer expecting to put it on for this.»

6.2 «The Lord has loved you very much…» says Elizabeth sighing.

«And that is why I am giving Him the thing I love most. This flower of mine.»

«How will you be able to tear it from your heart when the time comes?»

«Remembering that I did not have her and that God gave her to me. I shall always be happier now than then. When I know She is in the Temple I will say to myself: “She is praying near the Tabernacle, She is praying the God of Israel also for Her mummy” and I will have peace. And a greater peace I will have in saying: “She belongs entirely to Him. When these two old but happy parents, who received Her from Heaven, are no longer alive, He, the Eternal, will still be Her Father”. Believe me, I am fully convinced, this little creature is not ours. I was not able to do anything more… He put Her in my bosom, a divine gift to wipe away my tears and fulfil our hopes and our prayers. That is why She belongs to Him. We are the happy guardians… and may He be blessed for this!»

6.3 They have now reached the walls of the Temple.

«While you go to Nicanor’s Gate, I will go and inform the priest. And then I will come, too» Zacharias says. And he disappears behind an arch leading into a large yard surrounded by porches.

The group continues to proceed along the ensuing terraces. I do not know whether I have said this before: the enclosure wall of the Temple is not on level ground but it rises up higher and higher by means of successive terraces. Each terrace is reached by means of a flight of steps and on each terrace there are yards and porches and beautiful portals wrought in marble, bronze and gold.

Before reaching their destination they stop to take out the contents of the parcels: cakes, I think, which are wide and flat and very greasy, some white flour, two doves in a small wicker cage and some big silver coins: they are quite heavy but fortunately garments did not have pockets in those days. They would have made holes in them.

Here is the beautiful Gate of Nicanor, all chiselled in heavy bronze silver plating. Zacharias is already there beside a stately priest dressed in linen.

Anne is sprinkled with what I suppose is lustral water and then she is instructed to move towards the altar of the sacrifice. The Child is no longer in her arms. Elizabeth, who has stopped at this side of the Gate, has taken Her.

Joachim, instead, enters behind his wife, dragging a miserable bleating lamb. And I… I do exactly what I did on the occasion of Mary’s purification: I close my eyes not to see any slaughter.

Now Anne is purified.

6.4 Zacharias whispers something to his colleague, who nods smiling. He then approaches the group, which has reassembled, and as he congratulates the mother and father on their joy and their loyalty to the promises, he is given the second lamb, the flour and the cakes.

«So this daughter is sacred to the Lord? May His blessing be with Her and with you. Here is Anna. She will be one of Her teachers. Anna of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. Come here, woman. This little one is offered to the Temple as a victim of praise. You will be Her teacher and She will grow holy under your guidance.»

Anna, already completely grey, fondles the Child, who has awakened and is looking with Her innocent and surprised eyes at all the white and gold lit up by the sun.

The ceremony must be over. I did not see any special rite for the offering of Mary. Perhaps it was sufficient to tell the priest, and above all God, at the sacred place.

6.5 «I would like to give the offering to the Temple and go over there where I saw the light last year.»

They go accompanied by Anna of Phanuel. They do not enter the actual Temple; since they are women and it is the case of a little girl, it is understandable that they do not even go where Mary went to offer Her Son. But very close to the wide open door, they look into the half-dark inside from which sweet songs of girls can be heard and where precious lamps are lit and spread a golden light on two flower beds of white veiled heads: two real flowerbeds of lilies.

«In three years’ time You will be there too, my Lily» promises Anne to Mary, Who looks fascinated at the inside and smiles at the slow song.

«You would say that She understands» says Anna of Phanuel. «She is a beautiful child! She will be as dear to me as if She were my own. I promise you, mother. If I shall be granted to be so.»

«You shall, woman» Zacharias says. «You will receive Her amongst the sacred girls. I also shall be there. I want to be there that day to tell Her to pray for us from the very first moment…» and he looks at his wife who understands and sighs.

The ceremony is over and Anna of Phanuel withdraws, while the others leave the Temple speaking to one another.

I hear Joachim say: «Not only two lambs and the best, but I would have given all my lambs for this joy and to praise God!»

I do not see anything else.

• Anne of Aaron (mother of the Virgin Mary)
• Elizabeth of Hebron (mother of John the Baptist)
• Joachim of David (father of the Virgin Mary)
• Presentation of the Virgin Mary at the Temple (purification of Anne at the Temple)
• Zacharie (father of John the Baptist)

8.2 They proceed slowly. Very slowly. They seem to be wishing to carry on their journey for as long as possible. Everything serves as a pretext to stop… But a journey must come to an end! And this one is about to end. Up there, at the top of this last stretch of the road, there are the Temple walls. Anne utters a groan and holds Mary’s hand tighter.

«Anne, my dear, I am here with you!» a voice utters, coming out from the shade of a low arch built over a crossroads. And Elizabeth, who was waiting for them, approaches her and embraces her. And since Anne is crying she says: «Come into this friendly house for a little while. Then we shall go together. Zacharias is here too.»

They all enter a low dark room where the only light is a big fire. The landlady, obviously a friend of Elizabeth, but unknown to Anne, kindly withdraws and leaves them alone.

«You must not think that I am repenting or I am giving my treasure to the Lord unwillingly» explains Anne crying, «but it’s my heart… oh! how my heart aches, my old heart that is returning to its childless solitude! If you could only feel…»

«I know, my dear Anne… But you are good and God will console you in your solitude. Mary will pray for the peace of Her mother. Won’t you, Mary?»

Mary caresses Her mother’s hands and kisses them. She presses them to Her face to be caressed and Anne holds Her little face tightly in her hands and kisses it repeatedly. She is never tired of kissing Her.

Zacharias enters and greets them saying: «May the peace of the Lord be with the just.»

«Yes» replies Joachim, «implore peace for us, because our hearts are trembling in our offer, as Abraham’s did, while he was climbing the mountain, but we shall not find another offer to replace this one. Neither do we want it, because we are faithful to the Lord. But we are suffering, Zacharias. Since you are a priest of God, please understand us and do not be perturbed.»

«Never. On the contrary, your sorrow which does not go beyond reasonable limits and does not shake your faith, teaches me how to love the Most High. But take heart. »

• Anne of Aaron (mother of the Virgin Mary)
• Bible - Book of Genesis
• Elizabeth of Hebron (mother of John the Baptist)
• Family martyrdom
• Joachim of David (father of the Virgin Mary)
• Marie as a child
• Zacharie (father of John the Baptist)

8.3 Anna, the prophetess, will take care of this flower of David and Aaron. At present She is the only lily of David’s holy issue in the Temple and She will be taken care of just like a royal pearl. Although we are approaching the time when the Messiah is to come, and the women belonging to the house of David should be anxious to consecrate their daughters to the Temple, because the Messiah will be born of a virgin of David, yet, because of the general weakening of faith, the places of the virgins in the Temple are empty. They are too few and none of the royal offspring, since Sarah of Elisha left three years ago to get married. It is true that there are still thirty years to the appointed time, but… Well let us hope that Mary will be the first of many virgins of David’s offspring before the Sacred Veil. And then… who knows…» Zacharias does not say anything else. But he looks at Mary thoughtfully.

• Anne de Phanuël (mistress of the Virgin Mary in the Temple)
• Marie as a child
• Sarah (daughter of Elisée)
• The Virgin Mary
• The Virgin Mary - Descendant of David
• Zacharie (father of John the Baptist)

Then he resumes: «Also I will watch over Her. I am a priest and I have power there. I will make use of it for this angel. And Elizabeth will often come to see Her.»

«Oh! Certainly! I am in such need of God that I will come and tell this little Girl, so that She may tell the Eternal One.»

• Elizabeth of Hebron (mother of John the Baptist)
• Marie as a child
• Zacharie (father of John the Baptist)

8.4 Anne has taken heart again. To relieve her anxiety even more Elizabeth asks her: «Is this not the veil of your wedding? Or have you been weaving new byssus?»

«It is. I am consecrating it to the Lord with Her. My eyes are not so good… and also our wealth has been reduced by taxation and misfortunes… I could not afford huge expenses. I have only seen to Her clothing for the time She will be in the House of the Lord and afterwards… Because I do not think that I will be the one to dress Her for Her wedding… but I want it to be the hands of Her mummy, even if cold and motionless, which prepare Her for the wedding and weave Her linens and dresses.»

«Oh! Why think of that!?»

«I am old, my dear cousin. I have never felt it so much as I do now in my great pain. I have given the last ounce of strength in my life to this flower, to bear Her and to nourish Her, and now the pain of losing Her is drawing my last strength away and dispersing it.»

«Don’t say that, for Joachim’s sake.»

«Yes, you are quite right. I will try and live for my husband.»

Joachim pretends not to hear, intent as he is on listening to Zacharias, but he has heard and he sighs deeply, his eyes full of tears.

• Anne of Aaron (mother of the Virgin Mary)
• Elizabeth of Hebron (mother of John the Baptist)
• Engagement of Joseph and the Virgin Mary
• Joachim of David (father of the Virgin Mary)
• Zacharie (father of John the Baptist)

«It is between the third and the sixth hour. I think we ought to go» Zacharias says.

They all get up to put on their mantles and set off.

8.5 But before going out Mary kneels down on the threshold with Her arms stretched out: a little imploring cherub. «Father! Mother! Your blessing, please.»

She is not crying, the little brave girl. But Her lips are trembling and Her voice, broken by a sob, resembles more than ever the trembling cooing of a little dove. Her face is pale, and Her eyes have the look of resigned distress that I will see again on Calvary and in the Sepulchre, where it was so much more intense that it was impossible to look at Her without deep suffering.

Her parents bless Her and kiss Her: once, twice, ten times, they are never satisfied… Elizabeth is weeping silently and Zacharias, despite his efforts to conceal his tears, is deeply moved.

They go out. Mary is in between Her father and mother as before. Zacharias and his wife are in front of them.

They are now inside the walls of the Temple.

• Elizabeth of Hebron (mother of John the Baptist)
• Marie as a child
• Suffering and pain of the Virgin Mary
• Words of the Virgin Mary
• Zacharie (father of John the Baptist)

I surrounded Myself with wise people, in My human kinship. Anne, Joachim, Joseph, Zacharias, and even more Elizabeth, and then the Baptist, are they not real wise people? Not to mention My Mother, the abode of Wisdom.

• Anne of Aaron (mother of the Virgin Mary)
• Elizabeth of Hebron (mother of John the Baptist)
• Jean-Baptiste
• Joachim of David (father of the Virgin Mary)
• Joseph of Jacob (Saint Joseph)
• Kinship of Jesus Christ
• The Virgin Mary
• The Virgin Mary - Throne of Wisdom
• Zacharie (father of John the Baptist)

• Anne de Phanuël (mistress of the Virgin Mary in the Temple)
• Places - Jerusalem Temple
• Simon ben Boëthos (high priest during the Virgin Mary's childhood)
• Summary of EMV
• The Virgin Mary
• Zacharie (father of John the Baptist)

11.2 Mary is still in the Temple. She is now coming out with other virgins from the inner part of the Temple.

There must have been a ceremony because there is the scent of incense in the air of a red sunset. It must be late October, because the sky, already calmly restful as is usual in clear October days, is bending over the gardens of Jerusalem, where the yellow ochre leaves about to fall add gold red spots to the silvery green of the olive-trees.

The crowd, or rather the host of white dressed virgins, crosses the rear yard, then climbs the steps, goes through a porch and enters another square yard, not quite so splendid, without any other door except the one leading into it. It must be the yard allocated to the small dwellings of the virgins assigned to the Temple, because each girl moves towards her cell, like a little dove to its nest. They look like a flock of doves that separate after gathering together. They are all speaking in low but joyful voices, before separating. Mary is silent. Before leaving the other girls, She bids them goodbye affectionately and then goes to Her little room in a corner on the right hand side.

11.3 One of the teachers, an elderly lady, but not so old as Anna of Phanuel, joins Her. «Mary, the High Priest wants to see You.»

Mary looks at her somewhat surprised, but does not ask any question. She only replies: «I will go at once.»

I do not know whether the large hall, which She enters, is the house of the High Priest or whether it is part of the dwellings of the women assigned to the Temple. I know it is wide and bright, tastefully arranged. In addition to the High Priest, a stately man in his robes, there are also Zacharias and Anna of Phanuel.

Mary bows down on the threshold and does not enter until the High Priest says to Her: «Come in, Mary. Do not be afraid.» Mary looks up again and slowly moves forward, not because She is unwilling, but because of a somewhat unintentional seriousness, which makes Her look more of a woman.

Anna smiles at Her to encourage Her and Zacharias greets Her: «Peace to you, cousin.»

The High Priest observes Her very carefully and then he remarks to Zacharias: «She is obviously of the stock of David and Aaron…»

«My child, I am aware of Your grace and goodness, I know that every day You are growing in grace and knowledge before God and men. I know that the voice of God whispers His sweetest words to Your heart. I know that You are the Flower of God’s Temple and that a third Cherub is before the Testimony since You were here. And I would like Your perfume to continue to rise with the incense every day. But the Law says differently. You are no longer a girl, but a woman. And every woman must be a wife in Israel to bear a son to the Lord. You shall follow the commandment of the Law. Do not be afraid, do not blush. I am aware of Your royalty. The Law that prescribes that each man is to be given a woman of his own stock will protect You. But even if that were not the case, I would do so, so that Your magnificent blood might not be corrupted. Don’t You know anyone of Your stock, Mary, who might be Your husband?»

Mary lifts Her face full of blushes. Her eyes are shining with tears which begin to appear and with a trembling voice She replies: «No, nobody.»

«It is not possible for Her to know anyone, because She came here in Her childhood and David’s race has been struck too severely and scattered too widely to allow the various branches to gather like foliage around the royal palm» says Zacharias.

«We shall then leave the choice to God.»

11.4 The tears that Mary had restrained so far, gush out and fall on Her trembling mouth. She looks imploringly at Her teacher.

«Mary has consecrated Herself to the Lord for His glory and for the salvation of Israel. She was but a little child just learning to read and write and She had already made Her vow…» says Anne, helping Her.

«Is that why You are crying then? Not because You wish to resist the Law?»

«Just for that… nothing else. I shall obey you, Priest of God.»

«This confirms what I have always been told of You. How long have You been consecrated to the Lord?»

«I have always been, I think. I was not yet in this Temple, and I had already given Myself to the Lord.»

«But are You not the little one who came twelve years ago and asked me to be allowed to enter?»

«I am.»

«Well, then, how can You say that You already belonged to God then?»

«If I look back, I find I was consecrated… I do not remember when I was born, neither do I remember how I began to love My mother and to say to My father: “Father, I am your daughter”… But I remember that I gave My heart to God, although I do not know when it started. Perhaps it was with the first kiss that I was able to give, with the first word that I learned to say, with the first step that I took… Yes, I think I find My first recollection of love with My first steady step… My house… near the house there was a garden full of flowers… and there was an orchard and some fields… and there was a spring of water at the rear, under the hill, and the water gushed out from a hollow rock that formed a grotto… it was full of long and thin herbs that hung down forming small green waterfalls everywhere and they seemed to be weeping because the thin little leaves, that seemed an embroidery work, had tiny little drops of water on them and when the drops fell they tinkled like little bells. Also the spring seemed to be singing. And there were birds on the olive and apple-trees above the spring and white doves used to come and wash in the clear water of the fountain… I was no longer thinking of all that, because I had put all My heart in God and, with the exception of My father and mother, whom I loved in life and in death, every other worldly thing had disappeared from My heart… But you have made Me think of it… I must find when I gave Myself to God… and the things of My first years come back to My mind… I loved that grotto, because I heard a voice sweeter than the song of the water and the warbling of the birds say to Me: “Come, My Beloved”. I loved those herbs covered with tinkling and sparkling diamond drops, because I could see in them the sign of My Lord and I used to say to Myself: “O soul of Mine, see how great Your God is, He Who made the cedars of Lebanon for the eagles, has also made these little leaves that bend down under the weight of a little mosquito and He made them for the joy of Your eyes and as a protection for Your little feet”. I loved that silence of pure things: the light breeze, the silvery water, the purity of the doves… I loved the peace that hovered over the little grotto, and descended from the apple and olive-trees, now full of blossoms, then laden with beautiful fruit… And I do not know… the voice seemed to be saying to Me, yes, just to Me: “Come, specious olive; come, sweet apple; come, sealed spring; come, My dove”… Sweet is the love of a father, sweet the love of a mother… sweet their voices calling Me… but this, this one! Oh! in the earthly Paradise I think that she, who became guilty, heard it thus, and I do not understand how she could prefer a hiss to this voice of love, how she could desire any other knowledge that was not God… With My lips which still tasted of My mother’s milk, but with My heart full of celestial honey, I then said: “Here I am. I am coming. I am Yours. No one will have My body, but You, My Lord, neither will My soul have any other love…” And while saying so, it seemed to Me that I was repeating things already said and that I was fulfilling a rite already fulfilled, and the chosen Spouse was not a stranger to Me, because I already knew His ardour and My sight had been formed at His light and My capacity for loving had been fulfilled in His embrace… When? I do not know. Beyond life, I would say, because I feel I always had Him, and that He always had Me, and that I exist because He wanted Me for the joy of His Spirit and Mine…

11.5 Now I obey you, o Priest. But please tell Me how I am to behave… I have neither father nor mother. Please be My guide.»

«God will give You Your husband and he will be a holy man, because You have entrusted Yourself to God. You will tell him Your vow.»

«And will he agree?»

«I hope so. Pray, my child, that he may understand Your heart. Go now. May God always accompany You.»

Mary withdraws with Anna. Zacharias stays with the High Priest.

The vision ends in this way.

• Anne de Phanuël (mistress of the Virgin Mary in the Temple)
• The Virgin Mary
• The Virgin Mary in the Temple of Jerusalem (consecrated virgin)
• Zacharie (father of John the Baptist)

• Joseph of Jacob (Saint Joseph)
• Places - Jerusalem Temple
• Simon ben Boëthos (high priest during the Virgin Mary's childhood)
• Summary of EMV
• The Virgin Mary
• Zacharie (father of John the Baptist)