The Martyrdom of Saint Anastasia

Egyptian Synaxarium Babah 1
THE SECOND MONTH
The Martyrdom of Saint Anastasia
Babah 1 Martyr – Coptic Calendar – Martyr Calendar
11 October

On this day, St. Anastasia was martyred. This fighter was a native of Rome, and the daughter of Christian parents. They raised her well and taught her the Christian manners. When she grew up, her parents wanted her to get married, but she did not agree with them for she had forsaken the vanities of the world and its lusts.

She instead chose to lead a spiritual life and longed for the heavenly glories since her young age. She entered one of the convents of the virgins in Rome and put on the monastic garb. She subdued her body with devoutness and asceticism. She did not eat except once every two days. During the holy Lent she ate only on Saturdays and Sundays after the prayer of the sixth hour of the day. Her food during all the days of her monastic life was dry bread and salt.

It came to pass that some of the convents of virgins, nearby the convent where this saint was staying, were celebrating a feast. The abbess took St. Anastasia, with some of the virgins, and went to join in celebrating that feast. On their way, St. Anastasia saw the soldiers of Emperor Decius the Infidel torturing some Christians and dragging them. Her heart became inflamed with divine love and she shouted at them saying, "O you hard-hearted men is that what you do to those whom God created in His own form and image and for whom He gave Himself up?" One of the soldiers seized her and brought her to the Governor who asked her saying, "Is it true that you are a Christian, worshipping Him who was crucified?" She confessed the truth and did not deny it. He inflicted her with severe tortures, then he crucified her and lit a fire under her, but it did not harm her. When she did not give up her faith because of these pains, he commanded that her head be cut off. She said a long prayer, then she bowed her head and the swordsman cut off her neck and she received the crown of martyrdom.

Her intercession be for us and Glory be to our God, forever. Amen.


Ethiopian Synaxarium TEKEMT 01
THE SECOND MONTH
TEKEMT 01 - Geez (Ge'ez) Calendar – Ethiopian Calendar
(October 11)

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD. AMEN.

On this day the holy woman Anastasia became a martyr. This woman was a fighter; she was a native of Rome and her parents were Christians. They brought her up in all honor, and trained her in a manner befitting her noble rank, and they taught her everything, which was beneficial for her soul and body, and also the doctrine of the Church. When she arrived at woman’s estate her parents wanted to give her in marriage, but she did not desire this thing, for from her youth up she had craved for the garb of the ascetic life; and she chose the spiritual fight which is the garb of the holy ascetic life. And she entered one of the nunneries where virgins were received in the city of Rome, and she put on the nun’s garb, which is the garb of angels. And she made her body to toil with the labor of constant prayer, and with strenuous contending, and with hunger, and with thirst, and with cutting out from her heart and soul every thought concerning this world. In those days she used to fast the whole of every second day throughout the whole year. And during the great fast of the Forty Days she did not eat except on the first Sabbath (Saturday) and on the first day of the week (Sunday) after the mid-day prayer. In those days her food was dry bread and salt, and during all the days of her life as a nun she never ate any food, which had been cooked by fire. Now there was another nunnery of virgins near her nunnery, and the day of the festival in the nunnery approached. On that day the abbess took certain virgins from the nunnery, and among them was this virgin Anastasia, and they went to celebrate the festival in the neighboring nunnery. As they were going along the road this holy virgin saw some soldiers of the Emperor Decius, and with them were certain Christians whom they were dragging along. And her heart became inflamed with spiritual love, and she cursed them, saying, “O men of sluggish hearts, and infidels, why do ye act thus towards those whom God hath created in His own form and image, and for whom He hath given Himself?” Having said these words the soldiers were wroth with her, and they seized her, and brought her before the governor. And the governor asked her, saying, “Is it true that thou art a Christian, and that thou worshippest Him that was crucified?” And she confessed Christ before the governor and did not deny Him. Then the governor tortured her with severe tortures; he heaped fire on her body, and then he hung her up head downwards, and had a fire lighted under her; but although she was suffering great torture she did not turn from her faith. And after this the governor commanded his soldiers to cut off her head with the sword; and those who were there marveled at the fortitude of her soul. And she prayed a long prayer, and she stretched out her head to the sword, and they cut off the head of Saint Anastasia, and she received a crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens.

And on this day also are commemorated Saint Haritan (Cheriton), and Susannah the virgin, and Mary the sister of Lazarus.

Glory be to God forever. Amen.

TEKEMT 01 - Geez (Ge'ez) Calendar – Ethiopian Calendar = Babah 1 Martyr – Coptic Calendar – Martyr Calendar