On July 26, two elders share the same date in the heart of a devoted Brazil. On one side, Saint Anne, the mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus, patroness of grandparents and families. On the other, Nanã, the oldest of the orixás, lady of mud, of time, and of ancestry. The meeting of Saint Anne and Nanã is one of the most beautiful and least explained syncretisms of Afro-Brazilian religions.
This article carefully separates the two sides of this devotion: who Saint Anne was in Catholicism, who Nanã is in Afro-Brazilian traditions, why the two were brought together, and why sharing a date does not mean they are the same person.
Who was Saint Anne, the grandmother of Jesus
Saint Anne is, in the Christian tradition, the mother of the Virgin Mary and wife of Saint Joachim. As the mother of Mary, she is also the grandmother of Jesus, and it is through this bond that she became one of the most beloved figures of popular Catholicism.
The name of Saint Anne does not appear in the four gospels. Her story comes from an ancient Christian tradition, recorded in the so-called Protoevangelium of James, a text that did not enter the official Bible. According to this tradition, Anne and Joachim were an elderly couple, without children, who only had Mary after much faith and waiting.
It is from this detail that much of her devotional strength is born. For having conceived her daughter at an advanced age, Saint Anne became a symbol of faith in old age and of hope for those waiting for a child. For this reason, she is invoked as the patroness of grandparents, mothers, pregnant women, and families.
Nanã, the oldest of the orixás
Nanã, or Nanã Buruquê, is the oldest and most respected of the iabás, the feminine orixás. Lady of still waters, of lakes, of swamps, and of the mud at the bottom, she represents deep time, the origin of life, and the final destiny of everything that exists. Her greeting is "Salubá, Nanã!".
Here we bring only the essentials, because the blog already has her complete profile. To learn about the mythology, qualities, and offerings, it is worth reading who is Nanã. What interests us now is understanding why this ancestral grandmother found Saint Anne.
In Candomblé, Nanã has her own worship in each nation. She is worshipped as vodun in the jeje nation, originating in ancient Daomé, and as the orixá of still waters and mud in the ketu nation. In the angola nation, the same ancestral energy appears under the name of Nzumbarandá. In Umbanda, she rules the line linked to the wisdom of the elders and to welcoming.
The mud at the bottom of the lake is the raw material of life. In the myths collected by Reginaldo Prandi, it was from Nanã that the clay with which the human being was modeled came. That is why she is the owner of the beginning and the end.
Why Saint Anne and Nanã were associated
The meeting of the two is not by chance, and it was also not a free choice. During slavery, Africans were forbidden from worshipping their orixás. The solution was to hide each orixá behind the statue of a Catholic saint with a similar domain, so that the worship could survive the repression.
In the case of Nanã, the link that united the two is ancestral old age. Saint Anne is the grandmother, the maternal root of the lineage that leads to Christ, the elder who generates life when it was no longer expected. Nanã is the oldest orixá, the matriarch who has existed since before the world and is the mother of orixás such as Obaluaê, Oxumarê, and Ossaim (Osanyin). Given two grandmothers so similar in meaning, the association was natural.
Therefore, syncretism is neither fusion nor equivalence. It is a strategy of resistance, the way the enslaved African people found to keep their faith alive. Saint Anne continues to be Saint Anne for the Catholic, and Nanã continues to be Nanã for the people of santo. It is the same mechanism that brings Our Lady Aparecida and Oxum and Saint Barbara and Iansã together.
July 26: the date that unites the two grandmothers
The feast of Saint Anne on July 26 was fixed by Pope Gregory XIII at the end of the 16th century. Later, in the reform of the liturgical calendar, Pope Paul VI joined this date with the memory of Saint Joachim, her husband. Thus, July 26 began to celebrate the grandparents of Jesus together.
Not by chance, the day ended up also becoming a reference for Grandparents Day in several countries. Saint Anne and Joachim are the portrait of the ancestry that sustains the family, the elders who pass the faith forward.
In the terreiros, this same date is the day to greet Nanã. A lilac or purple candle is lit, flowers and fruits are offered, and the "Salubá!" echoes in tribute to the eldest. To situate the celebration within the Afro-Brazilian cycle, see the calendar of the orixás. Anyone who wants the step by step of the greeting can find everything in the article about the day of Nanã, July 26.
Nanã's profile and her offerings
Knowing the orixá's profile helps the filho de santo to honor her with respect in daily life. In most houses, it is usually like this:
Colors: purple, lilac, and white | Element: still waters, lakes, and mud | Symbol: the ibiri | Greeting: "Salubá, Nanã!"
The ibiri is Nanã's scepter, made of coastal straw, with a gourd and búzios. It is with it, in mythology, that the orixá collects the mud from the bottom of the waters. The greeting "Salubá" functions as a reverent "hail" to the elderly lady. This profile appears recorded in institutional sources such as the Santuário Nacional da Umbanda.
Nanã's offerings are usually mild and linked to the earth:
- Sweet potato cooked, one of the dishes most associated with her
- Fruits such as jabuticaba and plum, with dark and purple tones
- Wine liqueur, lilac flowers, and purple candles
- Nothing that contains iron or sharp metal, by precept of tradition
Offering has foundation and is done with guidance. The list above shows the orixá's taste, but the method, quantity, and the right day are taught by your house and your babalorixá or ialorixá.
The correspondence varies from house to house
Although the connection between Sant’Ana and Nanã is strong, especially in Umbanda and in Jeje tradition houses, it is not a universal rule. The syncretism changes according to the foundation of each terreiro.
Most houses associate Nanã with Sant’Ana or Our Lady Sant’Ana. Some traditions, however, bring the orixá closer to other images of an elderly lady, and there are those who mention Our Lady of Candeias, with less consensus. The day of the week dedicated to Nanã also varies: some houses indicate Saturday, others Monday.
The correspondence between saint and orixá is not fixed. What defines it is the foundation of the house. The custom of your terreiro always has the final word.
It is also worth remembering that, when speaking of Candomblé, each nation has its own way of worshipping Nanã, and treating Ketu, Jeje, and Angola as synonyms erases the true richness of the religion.
Syncretism is not equality
It is important not to confuse devotion with equivalence. Sant’Ana is a Catholic saint, a woman whom the Christian tradition glorified. Nanã is an orixá, a force of nature and ancestry worshipped for centuries in Africa and Brazil. The two share a date, not an identity.
Saying "Nanã is Sant’Ana" erases this difference. The correct way is to say that Nanã was associated with Sant’Ana, syncretized with her due to a common domain, the wise old age that generates and welcomes. Recognizing this is a gesture of respect to both traditions and the history of struggle that united the two grandmothers on the same July 26.
Afro-Brazilian religions still face prejudice and intolerance in Brazil. Treating Nanã with the same naturalness as one treats a saint is part of undoing this religious racism.
Frequently asked questions
What is the day of Nanã Buruquê?
The day of Nanã is July 26, the same date as the feast of Sant’Ana in Catholicism. On this day, the terreiros greet the eldest of the orixás with purple candles, flowers, and fruits. The choice of the date comes precisely from the syncretism between the elder orixá and the grandmother of Jesus.
Which Catholic saint represents Nanã?
In most houses, Nanã is syncretized with Sant’Ana, the mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus. The association arises from the common idea of a wise elder and matriarch. Some traditions cite other images of an elderly lady, but Sant’Ana is the most widespread correspondence.
Why is Nanã syncretized with Sant’Ana?
Because both represent ancestral old age and the origin of life. Saint Anne gave birth to Mary when she was already elderly; Nanã is the oldest orixá, mother of other orixás and owner of the mud that shaped human beings. During slavery, the African people hid the orixá behind the saint to keep the worship alive.
What is Nanã's greeting and what does "Salubá" mean?
The greeting is "Salubá, Nanã!", which functions as a reverent "hail" to the elderly lady of the still waters. It is said when greeting the orixá in festivals, offerings, and on July 26. The exact form may vary slightly depending on the nation and the house.
What is offered to Nanã?
The most traditional offerings are cooked sweet potato, dark fruits like jabuticaba and plum, wine, lilac flowers, and purple candles. Tradition avoids iron objects in Nanã's things. The correct way to offer must always be guided by your house.
Where to find items for Nanã and Saint Anne
At Joia Mística Laroyê, you find what you need to honor both grandmothers on July 26:
- Purple and lilac candles: the colors of Nanã, to set requests for wisdom and support
- Statues of Saint Anne: for the altar of the devotees of Jesus' grandmother
- Bead necklaces and purple beads: for those who are children of Nanã
- Flowers and fruits for offering: for the still waters and the orixá's table
- White candles: for the peace and serenity of the elderly lady
Visit our physical store in Extrema, Minas Gerais or receive at home with delivery to all of Brazil. For guidance on the correct use of each item, talk to us via WhatsApp.
References
- Wikipedia: Ana, mother of Mary
- National Sanctuary of Umbanda: Nanã Buruquê's record and offerings
