Saint Anastasia

Catholic Saint

st.Anastasia -Roman martyr

Feast Day : October 28

Anastasia suffered particularly cruel tortures, according to the story of her martyrdom. After Valerian succeeded to the throne of the Roman Empire in 244, he showed benevolence toward the Christians, but near the end of 247 turned on them with vicious persecutions. Anastasia was a young Roman woman of both noble and Christian birth who decided to enroll in a Christian nunnery. Her holiness earned her a great reputation. Valerian’s inquisitors broke into the nunnery and arrested her. She was taken before the prefect general, Probus, who threatened her with torture if she did not renounce her faith. He promised her happiness if she would go with him to sacrifice at the temple of Jove. Anastasia chose torture. Her face was then beaten bloody and she was sent back to prison. Her joy made Probus angrier.

He had all of her limbs dislocated and her sides burned by torches. This did not break her, so he ordered her nails to be torn from her fingers, her teeth to be broken with a hammer, and her breasts to be torn from her body with hot iron pincers. Instead of dying in prison, her wounds were miraculously healed. Probus then ordered her tongue to be pulled out by the roots. This was carried out before a crowd of spectators. Blood gushed from her mouth. She made signs to a Christian, Cyril, for water, and he gave her some. Despite the loss of her tongue, Anastasia reportedly raised her hands to heaven and blessed the Lord and asked him to help her consummate her sacrifice. Probus had her hands and feet cut off, and then finally ordered her to be beheaded. Cyril also was beheaded for assisting her. The executions took place on the 27th or 28th of October, in about the year 249. Anastasia’s body was buried outside the city by Sophia, the head of the nunnery.