Information concerning their lives and names is found in the 2nd-century Protevangelium of James (“First Gospel of James”) and the 3rd-century Evangelium de nativitate Mariae (“Gospel of the Nativity of Mary”).
According to these noncanonical sources, Anne (Hebrew: Ḥannah) was born in Bethlehem in Judaea. She married Joachim, and, although they shared a wealthy and devout life at Nazareth, they eventually lamented their childlessness.
Joachim, reproached at the Temple for his sterility, retreated into the countryside to pray, while Anne, grieved by his disappearance and by her barrenness, solemnly promised God that, if given a child, she would dedicate it to the Lord’s service.
Both received the vision of an angel, who announced that Anne would conceive and bear a most wondrous child. The couple rejoiced at the birth of their daughter, whom Anne named Mary.
When the child was three years old, Joachim and Anne, in fulfillment of her divine promise, brought Mary to the Temple of Jerusalem, where they left her to be brought up.
This act of dedicating Mary to God also shows that they were grateful that God had answered their prayers, and that they wished to praise Him for performing what seemed to be an impossible work in their lives.
Though Mary was conceived totally free from sin, it can also be inferred that Sts. Joachim and Anne must have raised her in a holy manner during her childhood.
Not only did Mary avoid sin, but she also showed great devotion and virtue throughout her entire life. Sts. Joachim and Anne were most likely excellent examples of virtue and devotion to her during her childhood.
Nothing is known about the deaths of Sts. Joachim and Anne or how long either of them lived. Despite their obscurity and the lack of information that is known for certain about Sts. Joachim and Anne, their holiness and devotion were very significant for salvation history as the grandparents of Our Lord.