Heaven's Bright Queen - Judea - Palestine

And through the East shall ring her name,
And Mahomet himself proclaim
In these mysterious words her fame:
"Speak, Koran! tell how Mary, wise,
Entered the temple at sunrise,
And veiled herself frm mortal eyes."
    - Eleanor C. Donnelly

Saint Anne, the mother of the ever Immaculate Virgin Mary, was the spouse of Saint Joachim. Her parents were both of the royal house of David, and their lives were wholly occupied in prayer and good works. One thing only was wanting to their union they were childless, and this was held as a bitter misfortune among the Jews. They were already far advanced in years when God bestowed upon them that illustrious daughter whom all generations were to call blessed. From an early age they dedicated this cherished child to the service of the altar of the Lord. Mary was three years old when Anne and Joachim led her up the Temple steps, saw her pass by herself into the inner sancturary, and then saw her no more. Tradition tells us that Joachim died soon after the presentation of the Infant Mary in the Temple, but Saint Anne lived until her wonderful daughter was eleven years old. As the epitome of the Blessed Virgin's sanctity is given in those few words: "Mary, of whom was born Jesus," so the holiness of the spouse of Saint Joachim may find expression in one brief but significant phrase: "Anne, of whom was born the Mother of God."

(It was not uncommon among the Jews for parents to present their children in this way, and there were special apartments in the buildings of the Temple for such children. Mary, then remained there several years, spending her time in learning, reading the Holy Scriptures, working in the service of the house of God, and in prayer. At the age of fifteen, as many writers think, she was espoused to her kinsman, Joseph. Both she and Joseph were "of the house and family of David.")

Girlhood of Mary

This is that blessed Mary, pre-elect
  God's Virgin. Gone is a great while, and she
  Dwelt young in Nazareth of Galilee.
Unto God's will she brought devout respect,
Profound simplicity of intellect,
  And supreme patience. From her mother's knee
  Faithful and hopeful; wise in charity;
Strong in grave peace; in pity circumspect.

So held she through her girlhood; as it were
  An angel-watered lily, that near God
    Grows and is quiet. Till, one dawn at home,
She woke in her white bed, and had no fear
  At all - yet wept till sunshine and felt awed:
    Because the fulness of the time was come.

Times are the symbols, on that cloth of red
  I' the centre is the Tripoint: perfect each,
  Except the second of its points to teach
That Christ is not yet born. The book whose head

Is golden Charity as Paul hath said -
  Those virtues are wherein the soul is rich,
  Therefore on them the Lily standeth, which
Is innocence, being interpreted.

The seven-thorn'd briar and the palm - seven-leaved
  Are her great sorrow and her great reward.
    Until the end be full, the Holy One
Abides without. She soon shall have achieved
  Her perfect purity: yea God the Lord
    Shall soon vouchsafe His Son to be her Son.

- Dante Gabriel Rossetti

- text taken from Heaven's Bright Queen, by William James Walsh