During the persecution of Christians, many true believers in Jesus suffered. The pagans tortured and executed the disciples of Christ, his followers. This martyrdom did not bypass the brides of Christ. Anastasia the Roman also counted herself among them. She faithfully served the Lord and did not refuse him even under the most terrible tortures. She died in agony and was canonized as a saint.
Anastasia the Roman. Life in a monastery
During the reign of King Decius in 249-251, when Prov was the military commander, there was a little-known secluded convent not far from Rome. Several fasting women labored in it, among which was the virtuous abbess Sophia. At one time, she greeted the blessed virgin Anastasia from the city of Rome, who was three years old without a father and mother. Sophia herself raised the girl, taught her all the virtues. In labors, deeds, fasting, Anastasia was the most righteous, the best in the monastery. At the age of twenty she becamereal beauty. The fame of her beauty reached Rome, many citizens of a noble family wanted to take Anastasia as a wife. But the holy virgin honored Christ and became his bride. She spent day and night in prayer and did not want to give her virginity to anyone. More than once the devil attempted to take the virgin away from her life equal to the angels, inclined her to joys in the world, embarrassed her with impious thoughts, deceit, and his other tricks. But the serpent did not manage to seduce Anastasia at all, the power of the faith of Christ protected her.
Having no power over the virgin, the devil sent her earthly fierce tormentors. At that time, strong persecution of Christians began. The warring, unbelieving pagans slandered the virtuous maiden in front of the commander Provos. Having come to this wicked man, they told that Anastasia the Roman woman lives in the monastery - a beauty that does not exist in the world, but she scoffs and rejects all honest husbands, considers herself the bride of the crucified Christ.
Instructions of Mother Sophia
Hearing stories about the beauty of the girl, Prov sent soldiers to the monastery to bring her. They immediately went there, broke down the doors with axes. The frightened novices fled, but Mother Sophia did not let Anastasia out. She told the virgin that her hour had come, she should accept the crown of martyrdom for her bridegroom Christ. She took care of her and raised her from the age of three only for a wedding with the Lord.
Sofia came out to the bursting soldiers, asked who they were looking for. To which they replied that they needed Anastasia the Roman, the commander Prov. was waiting for her. The abbess askedtime to gather the girl, dress her up so that her master would like her. The servants believed them. Sophia, meanwhile, adorned Anastasia not with worldly clothes, but equipped her with spiritual beauties. She led her into the church, placed her in front of the altar, and with weeping began to inspire her that the virgin had to show her true faith and love for the Lord, to become a faithful bride of Christ. Anastasia had to prevent being seduced by fame and gifts. She should not be afraid of temporary bodily torments that will lead her to eternal peace. The chamber of her groom was opened before Anastasia, a crown was woven for her, and let her, stained with blood, having experienced all bodily torments, appear before her Lord. Sophia bequeathed to her disciple to stand firmly for the faith, not to spare life, then her soul will ascend.
Anastasia's strong faith
To all the instructions of Mother Superior Sophia Anastasia, the Roman Thessalonica answered that she was ready to go to the end to prove her love for Christ. Ready to endure all bodily trials and torments in order to be reunited with her heavenly bridegroom.
The servants have been waiting for Anastasia for more than two hours. Without waiting, they rushed into the church and saw that the maiden was not dressing up in outfits, but was talking tenderly with her mother. Then they seized her, put her in chains and took her to the city to the commander. She stood in front of him and directed her gaze at the same time to the sky, her lips whispered a prayer. Everyone marveled at her beauty.
Prov invited Anastasia to renounce the crucified, to accept worldly life. Immediately they promised her to find a worthy husband, so that she would live in we alth and glory, give birth to children, and enjoy the blessings of the earth. For whatthe virgin firmly assured that this proposal did not seduce her, she would never renounce her faith, her heavenly bridegroom Jesus Christ. And if it were possible, she would have suffered for him a hundred times.
Torture and death of the Great Martyr
The commander ordered to beat Anastasia in the face, saying whether she should respond to the Lord of the Most Serene. After the beatings, in order to shame the maiden, they tore off all her clothes. To this shame, St. Anastasia the Roman proudly replied that let the tormentors cover her body with clothing made of blood, she is ready to endure any test for her faith.
By Provo's order, she was crucified between posts and tied face down. They beat her on the back with sticks, and burned her with fire from below. Anastasia, under torture, suffocating from the flames, only said: "Have mercy on me, Lord …" The executioners were tired of these tortures, but the maiden continued to pray. Then, removing her from the pillars, they tied her to the wheel, turning it, broke all the bones and pulled out the veins, all the time Anastasia raised her eyes to heaven and asked the Lord not to leave her, seeing the tortures, ranked her among the holy martyrs.
The body of the maiden was tortured for a long time. They cut off her arms and legs. Bleeding, she continued to offer glory to the Lord, then they pulled out her tongue. Even the assembled townspeople were amazed at the cruelty, they began to grumble. Then the commander ordered to take Anastasia out of the city and cut off her head, leave her unburied to be torn to pieces by animals.
The body of the saint was untouched by the providence of God. In the morning, the weak Sophia found him. She sobbed for a long timebody, did not know how to carry it to the place and bury it. Miraculously, two virtuous men were sent to help her, who gathered the body in pieces, wrapped it in a shroud, took it to a place of honor and, glorifying the Lord, buried Anastasia.
Reverence
During the reign of Diocletian, the great martyr Anastasia the Destroyer also suffered. Ancient hagiographic works do not clearly share the information about two virgins - Anastasia the Roman and the Patterner. Accordingly, they are called in the church the Elder and Younger Anastasia. Until now, they cannot determine with accuracy the belonging of images, relics, dedicated temples. According to a number of sources from Constantinople, the Day of Anastasia the Romans is celebrated on October 12. But at the same time, Byzantine calendars indicate the Saint's Memorial Day on October 29.
In Russia, the earliest mention of the veneration of the virgin Anastasia of Rome refers to October 29, based on the data of the month of the Archangel Gospel (1092), as well as the Mstislav Gospel (end of the 11th century). At the beginning of the XII century. in Russia they translated the non-linguistic Prologue, the short life of the saint here mentions the date of birth on October 12. Memorial Day is indicated on October 29.
The second edition of the same Prologue already in the 13th century contains, instead of the life of Anastasia the Roman, a description of Anastasia the Destroyer. Here, under October 30, the life of Anastasia of Thessalonica is described. The Great Menaion of the Cheti describes a detailed life of Anastasia the Roman, it is en titled "The Life of Anastasia of Thessalonica".
Power
The Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin in its inventory in 1680 mentions an ark containing particles of the relics of Anastasia the Roman.
In 1860, the Archbishop of Volyn delivered a gift to Zhytomyr from Patriarch Hierofei of Antioch - it was the head of the Holy Virgin Anastasia. It was bequeathed to Zhytomyr. The head of Anastasia was available to all believers, Archbishop Anthony took care of this. In 1903, by order of the Holy Synod, the head of Anastasia the Roman was transferred to the Zhytomyr Transfiguration Cathedral. In the cathedral, in its basement, the St. Anastasius Church was opened. It was here that for the time being the relics of the holy virgin were kept in a chic cypress shrine. The Monk Martyr Anastasia of Rome protected the people during the Great Patriotic War. Only in 1999, the monastery of Anastasia the Roman was opened in Zhytomyr.
Hymnography
Different editions of the Studio Charter indicate different services: on October 29, they serve Anastasia the Roman and Abraham the Recluse. Moreover, in the Evergetid Typicon, a service with "Hallelujah" is indicated, in the Messinian - both saints have common troparia of dismissal, that is, a service to two at once without a sign. The Typicon of 1610 and the one now in use in the Russian Orthodox Church also prescribes a service on October 29 without a sign to two saints.
The prayer of Anastasia the Roman, uttered in strong faith, helps and protects those who pray. In the Slavic and Greek liturgical Menaia, which are still used today, the service of Anastasia is placed with the canonJoseph, which is listed in the Evergetid Typicon. In the same Typicon, the corpus of stichera is indicated; it is also located in the Greek Menaion, which is slightly different from the Slavic one. The common troparion "Your Lamb, Jesus" is found in the Slavic Menaion, indicated in the Messinian Typicon.
Iconography
In ancient Russian and Byzantine art, Anastasia the Roman is depicted like the venerable martyr Anastasia the Destroyer. Icons have a common tradition of creation. In a number of sources, the name of her Roman is preserved. Whether Anastasia the Roman is depicted in a schema, mantle, or monastic vestment, the icon is revered by all believing Christians. The engraved saints of Tepchegorsky represent a maiden with a palm branch and a cross in her hands. In the Stroganov original, Anastasia holds a vessel.
Interesting facts
Since 1903, the head of Anastasia was kept in the Zhytomyr Transfiguration Cathedral. In 1935, during troubled times of persecution of believers, the church was desecrated and closed, the relics mysteriously disappeared. In 1941, the temple was opened by some miracle, and the relics of the saint returned here. Anastasia the Roman seemed to become the protector of the faithful. After the war, the cathedral was closed again, and the relics were again lost.
Often, Anastasia the Roman is confused with the holy virgin Anastasia the Destroyer, and also with Anastasia of Rome. This is the reason for the inaccuracies in the depiction of the venerable martyr on some icons.
