1 And Joachim said to Anna, The days of the daughter who was born in our house are fulfilled. He orders that all the daughters of the Hebrews, virgins consecrated to God, be summoned so that each one takes a lamp in her hand, and leads the girl, with holy respect, to the temple of the Lord. And having led her away, they placed her on the third step of the tabernacle. And the Lord God granted him grace and wisdom. An angel who descended from heaven served her table, and she saw herself nourished by the angels of the Holy Spirit. And, in the tabernacle, she heard incessantly the language and song of the angels.
2 Mary was three years old when her parents took her to the temple, and she remained there for twelve. After a year, her parents died. She Maria experienced deep affliction for the loss of those who had given her being, and she mourned them officially for thirty days. Established in the temple, she was educated there, and was perfected in the manner of women, like the other daughters of the Hebrews who were with her, until she reached the age of fifteen.
3 In that year, Eleazar, the High Priest, died. And the children of Israel, following the rules of mourning, mourned for him thirty days. And, after all these events, an assembly of the priests, the elders of the town and other notables took place, who resolved to appoint a Great Priest of the temple, consulting the fate. And the lot fell on Zechariah, son of Barachiah. All the priests imposed it, and named him sovereign minister and Supreme Pontiff of the holy altar. And Elizabeth, wife of Zechariah, and Anna, were relatives, and both were infertile. And, from the pregnancy of Anna and the birth of Mary until the moment when Zechariah began to exercise his functions as High Priest, fourteen years had passed.
4 And, when Zechariah was now the High Priest, his wife continued to be barren and childless, like Hannah. And , out of time, the priests and all the people reflected too late, and said to each other: It is extremely annoying that we did not understand sooner what we did. For We have established this High Priest, without noticing the defect that was opposed to it, since his wife is barren, and she has not conceived fruit of blessing. And one of the priests, named Levi, said: This seems fair to me, and, with your permission, he will tell him. The other priests observed: Declare the thing to him alone and in secret, and do not speak of it to anyone else. And the priest, nodding, said: Okay. He will reveal it to him, and to no one else but him.
5 One day, when the time of prayer was over, the priest went secretly to interview Zechariah. , and notified him of the conversation he had had with his companions. When Zechariah heard this, he was greatly troubled and said to himself, “What will he do?” What answer should I give? Because, as far as I am concerned, my conscience does not bother me for having done any wrong, and if they hate me without cause, despite my innocence, it is only up to the Lord. examine it. If I repudiate my wife, without alleging any wrongdoing on her part, he will commit a clumsy fault. And it would be very painful for me to attribute to myself a crime that I have not committed, so that I can be deposed, or, without saying anything, abdicate the pontificate and the service of the holy altar. What, then, is going to happen in this grave perplexity that torments my soul?
6 And, while he was turning over all these reflections in his thoughts, the time for ritual prayer arrived, in which he had to deposit incense before the Lord. And, standing in the temple near the holy altar, and weeping before the tabernacle, he prayed in this way: Lord, God of our fathers, God of Israel, look with mercy on me, your servant, who stands before me in confusion. of your majesty, and who implores the sweet grace of your benevolence. Do not disdain your humble servant. If you judge me worthy to serve your holy altar, he will use your tender kindness towards men to me, since you alone are pious and omnipotent. Be glory to you in all ages. Amen.
7 Thus spoke Zechariah, as he stood at the right of the holy altar, and, prostrate, worshiped the Lord. And behold, an angel of God appeared to him in the tabernacle and said: Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayers have been answered, and your supplications have reached God. Behold, your wife Elizabeth will conceive and bear a son, and you will call her name John. But Zechariah replied: How can this happen, since I am old and my wife is advanced in years? And the angel said: Because you have not listened to me, nor believed my words, behold, you will be mute and unable to speak, until those things come. And, at the same instant, Zechariah was struck with muteness in the temple, and, having kneeled in silence before the holy altar, he beat his breast, and wept bitterly.
8 And the priests and the crowd of people who were there, noticed with surprise and amazement that Zechariah was late in the temple. And, having entered near him, the priests found him attacked by muteness. He could not speak, and could only explain himself by gestures. Later, when the feast of the holy tabernacles had passed, on the 15th of the month of Thesrin, which is October 2, the first solemnities ended. On Tesrin 22, which is October 9, Isabel became pregnant. And on the 16th of the month of Tammuz, which is June 5, the birth of John the Baptist took place.