Anastasia | Anastasia of Rome

● Name means: the Risen One (from Greek)
● Martyr
● Attributes: Scissors, ointment vessel/vase, tied to pyres or stakes
● Patroness: press, head and chest diseases, soul needs
● Born mid-3rd century
● Died on October 25 304 in Sirmium, today Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia
Anastasia, the sister of Emperor Constantine, is said to have been converted to Christianity by a
man named Chrysogonus after the death of her mother. Against her will, she was married to a
pagan man, but she escaped and chose to devote herself to the care of imprisoned Christians,
along with her maid. Tragically, after the death of her husband, Anastasia and her maids found
themselves locked in a kitchen by their cruel landlord. It was dark and they had nothing but
cauldrons, buckets and pans to keep them company. The landlord, however, had other things on
his mind. In his delirium, he began to kiss and embrace the various kitchen utensils until he was
exhausted, blackened with soot and his clothes were in tatters. When he stumbled outside, his
own people didn’t even recognize him and beat him mercilessly, thinking he was a fool. Seeking
revenge, he then wanted to publicly shame Anastasia and her maids by tearing off their clothes,
but to his surprise, their garments refused to come off. In a fit of rage, he ordered the maids to
be beaten to death in front of Anastasia, and she was imprisoned.
Despite her suffering, Anastasia stood firm in her faith and refused to renounce Christianity.
Ultimately, she was banished to a desert island with over 200 virgins. Rather than wallow in
despair, Anastasia turned this obstacle into an opportunity to spread the word of God. She was
able to convert every single one of those virgins to Christianity, but tragically, they were all killed
in front of her. Nevertheless, Anastasia remained steadfast in her belief until the end. Her
remarkable story has since become a legend that has inspired many throughout the ages.