Under the Laurel Tree: Grieving Infertility with Saints Joachim and Anna

by Nicole M. Roccas

Infertility ranks among the hardest griefs a couple can face. Yet this painful issue is all too often neglected in both Church and society. Under the Laurel Tree traces one God-fearing couple’s journey through the emotional turmoil of childlessness. By following the story of Saints Joachim and Anna, this book helps individuals and couples navigate the loss inherent in infertility amid the pain of shame, separation, anger, bargaining, and blamelessness. In walking alongside Joachim and Anna, we encounter not only a life-giving template for grief, but also the path back to ourselves, our partner, and our God-given vocation of eucharistic thanksgiving.

About the Author: Dr. Nicole Roccas has a PhD in History from the University of Cincinnati and, in addition to being a writer and podcaster, she is an adjunct faculty member at the Orthodox School of Theology at Trinity College (Toronto). She is best known for her Ancient Faith Radio podcast Time Eternal. Her first book was Time and Despondency: Regaining the Present in Faith and Life. A native of Wisconsin, Nicole currently lives in the Toronto area.

LOOK INSIDE… Under the Laurel Tree: Grieving Infertility with Saints Joachim and Anna