The legend says that St. Anne was the daughter of a nomadic shepherd named Akar, born in Nazareth and raised in the temple in Jerusalem. At the age of about 20, Anne married Joachim of Nazareth. After twenty years of living together, the spouses still had no children and worried very much because of it. Eventually, Joachim decided to go to the desert and pray there for 40 days and 40 nights, so that they would be able to have a baby. While he was in the desert, an angel visited Ann and said that God had answered their prayers and that they would have a child. At the age of forty, Anne was so happy to have a daughter Mary that she sacrificed her to God.

St. Anne’s feast day has always been popular in Lithuania. In the honor of St. Anne indulgencies have been introduced in many Lithuanian parishes, followed by celebrations and feasts. In Dusmenys, it’s a traditional festival with almost 60 years of history. The day of the feast is chosen according to the day on which the indulgencies of St. Anne takes place in the Church of Sts. Simon and Jude (Taddeo). Since, from ancient times, not only the children of Dusmenys residents’ but also relatives and friends have gathered to celebrate St. Anne’s feast day, the festival received the name of the locals’ feast. The festival honors the name Anne as there are many of those in Dusmenai region. Every year, bread also is duly honored, the jubilees of a current year and owners of beautifully maintained homesteads are traditionally congratulated. The concert program is attended by a large number of different amateur art groups from various places as well as professional performers.

St. Anne’s feast day is a day of new bread as it’s baked from a freshly harvested crop, and Anne is called the lady of bread or a good wife: bread smeared with sour cream. To feel the smell of fresh bread, congratulate Annes, and survive another great summer day – it’s all so easy in Dusmenys on St. Anne’s feast day.