Some people think the saints don't help us. Is it so? Why? All because there is little faith in us, we do not really know how to ask for help, everything is somehow pattered, on the run, by the way. This is how we live…
Life trials
Over the years, rarely does anyone gain experience in prayer. Only in difficult life situations and at the moment of trials do we instantly become obedient disciples of God's word, we ask for mercy. At once the intricate prayer science lends itself to us, there are both strength and zeal for its knowledge. At the same time, many people remember the prayer of St. Anastasia the Patterner. The more terrible the test, the more abilities awaken in our souls.
The old rumor says: "Do not renounce prison and the bag." Deprivation of liberty is too serious a test. Being free, a rare lost soul listened to the exhortation of relatives, the words of warning. Here, in the dungeon, the meaning of life reaches many. The soul trembles with living joyful pain. And if it hurts, then there is hope for recovery.
Every prisoner is familiar with the name - St. Anastasia the Patterner. She is the patroness of prisoners. Temples in prisonphenomenon is quite common today. Chapels and prayer rooms are being built. A consolation for the prisoners is even a small holy corner, where there is a lamp and icons.
The icon of St. Anastasia the Desolder. What to pray for? Who does it help?
Patterler is an extraordinarily beautiful, rare word, it combines inconspicuousness and silence, and these are the components of a Christian feat. Anastasia the Pattern-Setter lived modestly, secretly visited prisoners in prisons, distributed alms to the poor, and strengthened the fallen in spirit with a word. Her charitable deeds include the fact that after the execution she buried the remains of the martyrs in a Christian way. 1700 years have passed since then, but her image still helps everyone who asks, strengthens the spirit in difficult times.
The icon of St. Anastasia the Destroyer is in every temple, prayer room, chapel, which are built in prisons. Those who are imprisoned by a fatal mistake or because of someone's evil slander can pray to her. Prisoners ask Holy mercy, strength, in order to endure all the hardships of fate, not to fall into despair.
The prayer of St. Anastasia will help all those who suffer. They pray to the Holy Great Martyr in order to know spiritual harmony, find humility, strengthen their faith in the Lord, for the healing of serious illnesses of the soul of the body, for the bestowal of vitality.
Holy Great Martyr Anastasia the Destroyer
On the icons, the Great Martyr Anastasia is depicted holding a cross and oil in her hands. The cross, as you know, is the way to salvation, while oil heals any wounds. Deliverance from sins, lack of faith, passions, any heavy ties - this is what the name Destroyer means. Despite the fact that 1700 years have passed since those ancient times, Saint Anastasia still heals the souls of the suffering, goes to those imprisoned in dungeons, and gives hope for the salvation of the soul. Back in 304, Anastasia was martyred for the Christian faith, this happened during the reign of Diocletian in the city of Sirmium.
Saint Anastasia is one of seven women whose name is mentioned in the Roman canon of the Mass. It is also present in the Catholic litany to all saints. The iconographic symbols of Anastasia the Patterner are a bottle of oil, a cross or a palm branch.
In addition to all of the above, Anastasia the Patterner is considered the patroness of all pregnant women. On the day of St. Anastasia (December 22) in Russia, women in demolition, saying a prayer, embroidered a towel, it once helped them to safely and easily resolve their burden.
The Life of Saint Anastasia the Destroyer
Anastasia was born in Rome, in the family of a we althy senator, whose name was Pretextatus. He was a pagan, and her mother Favsta secretly worshiped Christ. Fausta gave Anastasia to be raised by Saint Chrysogonus, who was famous for his learning. He taught the virgin the law of God and the Holy Scriptures. Anastasia studied diligently and established herself as wise and smart. After Anastasia's mother died, her father, against her daughter's will, gave her in marriage to Pomplia. Under the pretext of a far-fetched illness, Anastasia managed to keep her virginity in marriage.
Faith in Christ neverleft Anastasia, from an early age she performed charitable deeds. Accompanied by a maid, dressed in beggarly clothes, she visited the dungeons, bribed the guards, treated, fed the prisoners who suffered for the Christian faith, and sometimes bought their freedom.
Once a maid told Pomply about the adventures of Anastasia, he severely punished his wife and locked her up. During the imprisonment, the maiden found a way to contact her teacher Chrysogon. In secret correspondence, he urged her to have patience, spirit, pray and be ready for anything for her faith in the Lord. Chrysogonus predicted that Pomplius would soon die. Indeed, going to Persia with an embassy, Anastasia's husband drowned. Having received complete freedom, Saint Anastasia began to preach the faith of Christ, distributing her property to all the suffering and the poor.
The death of Chrysogon. Anastasia's wanderings
In those days, the persecution of Christians was especially cruel, but the faithful subjects of Christ steadfastly endured all the torments of imprisonment. The ruling Diocletian was informed about the strength of the spirit of the prisoners with whom the Roman dungeons were overflowing. He gave the order to kill everyone, and send the teacher Chrysogon to him in Aquileia. Anastasia the Pattern Maker followed her teacher.
The emperor himself interrogated Chrysogon, no tortures broke his faith. Diocletian never managed to persuade Chrysogon to abdicate. This led the teacher to his death. The emperor ordered that he be beheaded and his body thrown into the sea. According to Divine revelation, the remains of Chrysogon washed up on the shore, and a certainElder Zoil. He put the body in the ark, sheltered at home.
Then Saint Chrysogon appeared in a dream to Zoilus and predicted the imminent martyrdom of three Christian women - Irina, Chionia and Anapia, who lived nearby. The teacher ordered Anastasia to be sent to them, so that she would support them in terrible moments. Zoilus himself was predicted by Chrysogon an early but peaceful death. The Holy Great Martyr Anastasia also saw the way to Zoil through a vision. Having visited the presbyter, Anastasia prayed at the body of Chrysogon, after which she strengthened the faith of the three martyrs before being tortured, and when they expired, she herself committed their bodies to the earth. Having fulfilled everything that the teacher Chrysogon bequeathed to her, the Holy Virgin set off on distant wanderings. By this time, she was fluent in the art of medicine, everywhere she served the Christian prisoners.
Thanks to her deeds, as well as the help rendered to the suffering prisoners, the Holy Great Martyr Anastasia received the name of the Destroyer. With her labor, she resolved from severe torment, bonds, long-term suffering of many confessors of Christ.
Christian persecution. Trials of the Great Martyr Anastasia
Saint Anastasia once met a young pious widow named Theodosia. She became a faithful assistant for the Solver. Together they bribed the jailers. Visiting dungeons, they healed the sick, the wounded, brought food to the prisoners, consoled those sentenced to death, strengthened faith in them, communed those departing to another world. The icon of St. Anastasia is painted like this - the pattern-setter holds a vessel in her handswith sacred oil and a cross.
Soon both women went to Sirmium, where Christians were subjected to especially severe persecution. Diocletian ordered the execution of all Christian prisoners. Arriving in the dungeon in the morning and seeing it empty, Anastasia began to lament and sob loudly. It became clear to the jailers that she was a Christian. They seized her and sent her to the governor of the region. Upon learning that Anastasia belongs to a noble Roman family, they sent her for interrogation to the emperor himself, because only he could decide her fate. Diocletian once knew her father, Senator Pretextatus. By persuasion, the emperor persuaded the virgin to renounce the Christian faith, he was interested in the inheritance left from his father. Anastasia admitted that she spent all her fortune on supporting Christian prisoners. Unable to break the will of the young woman, the emperor again sent her to Iliria. The ruler of the region handed over Anastasia to the high priest Ulpian.
Cunning Ulpian put Anastasia before a choice. Luxury - gold, beautiful clothes, precious stones - on the one hand, and on the other - severe suffering and torture. His vile deceit was put to shame, the maiden rejected riches and preferred her torment for the sake of faith. The Lord supported Anastasia, extended her life path. The crafty priest was wounded by the beauty and purity of St. Anastasia and decided to desecrate her honor. But as soon as he touched her, he immediately went blind. Mad with pain, Ulpian rushed headlong to the pagan temple, all the way he called for help to his idols, but fell along the road and expired.
Anastasia in captivity, her death
After the death of the priest, Saint Anastasia received her freedom. At first she hid in the hilly area of Sirmium. Then again, together with Theodosius, she began to serve the suffering Christians, heal their wounds, and support them spiritually. But soon Theodosius and her sons were martyred for their faith in Christ. The elder Evod meekly endured the beatings and boldly held himself before the judges. Having accepted long martyrdom, they died in a red-hot furnace.
Saint Anastasia the Destroyer again ended up in the dungeon of the city of Sirmium. For sixty days she passed the test of hunger. And every night Saint Theodosia appeared to the virgin, strengthened her spirit, encouraged Anastasia. Judge Iliria, seeing that hunger was not terrible for a young woman, ordered her to be drowned with the rest of the prisoners, among whom was Evtikhian, who was persecuted for his faith in those years. The prisoners were put on a ship and taken to the open sea. To make the ship leak, the guards punched many holes in it, and they themselves boarded a boat and sailed away, leaving the sufferers to certain death. Then Saint Theodosia appeared to the prisoners, she did not let the ship sink, she led it along the waves to the shore to the island of Palmaria. Miraculously saved, all one hundred and twenty prisoners believed in Christ, they received baptism from Eutychian and Anastasia. They did not rejoice at freedom for long, they were soon captured and martyred for their faith. Saint Anastasia the Martyr died over the fire. She was crucified between pillars and then beheaded.
Eternal memory of Anastasia
Undamaged by fire bodyAnastasia was buried by the Christian Apollinaria in her garden. According to the writings of Dmitry Rostov, the date of Anastasia's death falls on December 25, 304. It happened during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. After the persecution of Christians ceased, a chapel was built over the tomb of the holy virgin. In 325, Christianity finally became the state religion, at that time the power was in the hands of Emperor Constantine. The Church of St. Anastasia was erected in the city of Sirmium in memory of the deeds of the Solder of the Patterns.
In 467, the relics of the Saint were transferred to Constantinople, where a temple was erected in her honor. Already at the end of the nineteenth century, the foot and the head of the Destroyer were transferred to the monastery of Pharmakolitria, which was also named after her. It was founded not far from Mount Athos in Chalkidiki.
Benidictbourn monastery. Kochelseer miracle
In 739-740, a monastery was founded at the foot of the Alps in Bavaria. It was named after the Monk Benedict of Nursia - Benidiktbourn. The monastery is still operating, it is famous as one of the spiritual centers of Bavaria. Its library contains more than two hundred most valuable manuscripts.
Every day, many buses with pilgrims from Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy arrive at the monastery. They are called "pilgers" here. Western European Christians deeply revere the deeds of Anastasia the Solver. The prayer of St. Anastasia heals spiritual and bodily wounds, and nervously ill people, as well as those suffering from headaches, receive special help.
In the monastery of Benydictbournmany Christian shrines are kept. One of them is the reliquary, which contains the relics of Anastasia the Solver. The reliquary is located in the main monastery church, in its sulfur part. The construction of the reliquary with the relics was facilitated by a miracle that happened here, which is called the Kochelseer. This miracle happened in 1704 during military events. In the area of Lake Kochelsee, hostilities were carried out. Day and night, the Bavarian monks and local residents read the prayer of St. Anastasia the Patterner. She heard the prayers of Christians and came to their aid. The monastery buildings, as well as the nearest villages miraculously survived. Since then, the inhabitants of Bavaria consider St. Anastasia their patroness. A chapel of rare beauty was built in her honor.
Relics of Saint Anastasia
Architect Fischer in 1751-1755 created a chapel in the shape of an ellipse. Its interior was richly decorated with picturesque panels and stucco. In European art history, the chapel is considered the pearl of the Rococo style.
A reliquary is kept in the altar part of the chapel (from the relics - a small fragment of the frontal part). From the monastery records it is clear that a certain wandering monk brought the relics to the monastery from Italy in 1035. The reliquary was crafted in the form of a bust of gold and silver by Munich craftsmen as early as 1725. The sculptural image of St. Anastasia is crowned with a crown made of gold and adorned with precious stones. The bust-reliquary belongs to the examples of Bavarian jewelry art.
The Holy Name - Anastasia - is translated from Greek as "resurrection", according toAccording to popular legend, it represents Sunday. In Christianity, there are three Saints with the name Anastasia: the Elder - Anastasia the Roman (Comm. 29, 30 October), the Younger - Anastasia the Destroyer (Comm. 22 December), the hermit of Alexandria - Anastasia Patricia (Comm. 10 March).
The monks of the monastery of Benidiktbourn know that the relics of St. Anastasia the Destroyer have spread all over the world, that some of them are stored on Mount Athos in the monastery of Kutlumush. According to the stories of the current servants of the temple, the monks of Benidiktbourne made pilgrimages to Greece, where near the city of Thessaloniki there is the royal monastery of Anastasia the Destroyer. Back in 888, part of the relics of the Holy Virgin was brought here.
Croat Christians who came to Benidiktbourn told the monks that a piece of the relics of St. Anastasia was kept in the city of Zadar (Croatia). Russian Orthodox said that the Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Moscow Kremlin has long preserved a particle of her relics.
Many Orthodox Bavarians know that relics are kept in the Benidiktbourn Monastery, and that St. Anastasia the Destroyer helps all those who suffer. On the day of her memory, as well as the martyrs Eutychian, Theodotia, Chrysogon, Evod, all Christians bearing their names come to the monastery with friends and families. On this day, the monks open the door of the chapel where the relics of Anastasia are kept, and allow the pilgrims to venerate the holy reliquary of their heavenly patroness. Pilgrims turn to Anastasia the Patterner with repentance, hope, and thanksgiving prayers. The Munich parish constantly organizespilgrimage to the monastery of Benidiktbourn. At the relics, a prayer service is performed alternately in German and Church Slavonic.
In 1995, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, two icons of St. Anastasia the Destroyer visited space, on the Russian station Mir, with the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch. This mission symbolized the common roots of the Orthodox and Catholic churches, Christians of the West and East.
In Russia there is also a church of St. Anastasia in Pskov, it is considered a monument of republican significance, first mentioned in the annals of 1487. In this functioning church of the Holy Great Martyr Anastasia the Solver, there is also a particle of the relics of the long-suffering virgin. In front of the ark with her relics, a prayer service is regularly performed for prisoners who are begging for forgiveness for their sins.
