Anna the prophetess is mentioned in Luke 2:36–38. She was a woman of great age, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She had lived with her husband for seven years after marriage, and then as a widow for about eighty-four years. This indicates a long life of devotion and service to the Lord.
Anna did not depart from the temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. Her constant presence in the temple and her dedication to spiritual disciplines mark her as a faithful and godly woman. She came into the temple at the very moment when Simeon was blessing the infant Jesus and gave thanks to the Lord. She then spoke of Jesus “to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).
Though Scripture records only a few verses about her, Anna is remembered for her deep faith, her prophetic role, and her joyful proclamation of the Messiah’s arrival. She stands as a witness to the fulfillment of God’s promise and as an example of steadfast worship and hopeful expectation.
