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St. Great Martyr Anastasia the Pattern Maker. Chrysogon, her teacher, Theodotia, Eutychian and others who suffered with her 120 Anastasia was the daughter of rich and noble parents who lived in Rome in the 2nd half of the 3rd century. Her father was a pagan, but her mother was a Christian, who from childhood prepared her to perceive Christian concepts. Therefore, young Anastasia easily assimilated and deeply accepted into her heart all Christian truths and feelings when the teacher invited for her education, renowned for his intelligence and learning, Christian Chrysogon, along with scientific knowledge, enlightened her and, most importantly of all, the knowledge of the true God. But it was not easy for a Christian to live among the then pagan world... and through a narrow path and martyrdom, her Christian faith led her to salvation in eternity... And her trials began early. Having lost her mother, she was given against her will by her father in marriage to a rich pagan, Senator Publius, with whom Anastasia, who had received a Christian upbringing, could have nothing in common. But it also helped her to submit to her position and seek admonition and reinforcement in prayer. Her only consolation then was to perform various works of Christian charity. Secretly from her husband, Anastasia also took upon herself the duty of serving those imprisoned in prison for Christ’s sake. Dressed in simple clothes, accompanied by a maid, she walked around the dungeons filled with Christians at that time, bribed the guards, entered the prisoners, washed their wounds received during torture for their faith, refreshed their faces and heads, strengthened them with food and drink, and, in general, served them as best she could. But she did not enjoy this blessed consolation for long. Her husband, having learned about her charitable activities, was indignant at her for wasting significant sums in favor of the unfortunate and, wanting to take possession of all her property himself, prevented her by all means from devoting anything to the poor. He treated Anastasia mercilessly, no longer as a wife, but as a slave, beat her cruelly and finally began to keep her locked up, so that he drove her to despair. “The end of my life is near,” she wrote at that time to her former teacher Chrysogonus, who was also languishing in prison for confessing Christ, “pray to God for me, for whose love I suffer to the point of exhaustion, so that there is nothing left for me but to die... and although I hope for joy in the future life, I greatly grieve that all my wealth, which I promised to God, is being squandered by the hands of wicked people, alien to God." “To you, worried among the storms and confusion of everyday life,” Chrysogon answered Anastasia, “Christ, who walked on the waters, will soon come and with one word will calm the waves of worldly sorrows rising around you... Therefore, standing as if among the waves of the sea, wait patiently for Christ, who will certainly come to you. Meanwhile, you yourself cry out to Him along with the prophet: “Why are you discouraged, my soul, and why are you embarrassed? Trust in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and God”... (Ps. 41:6). Expect doubly good deeds from God, since He will return your temporary inheritance and will also prepare an eternal one for you. For this reason, the Lord allows suffering in order to continue to benefit people through it. Don’t be embarrassed by the fact that the pious do not get rid of sorrows: God does not retreat from them, but only tests them... and blessed by God is that person who, amidst sorrows and trials, does not cease to trust in Him. Stay awake, take courage, and beware of all sin, and seek your consolation in God alone, holyly fulfilling His commandments.”... And Chrysogon also wrote, responding to Anastasia’s new mournful outpourings: “Light is always preceded by darkness, and the return of health is preceded by illness, and after death life is promised. There is an end to both sorrows and earthly joys, so that one does not despair in the midst of sorrows, and does not become exalted in the midst of joys. One sea, along which, like boats, human existences rush, and one helmsman controls each of them; the other is strong and indestructibly endures unrest and storms; the other is immaculate and even in silence threatens with drowning, since the time of destruction is near for those who are not firm in their thoughts and desire for a saving haven... Turn to the cross of Christ and become attached with all your thoughts, O immaculate servant of Christ! Prepare yourself for the work of the Lord, which if you serve according to your desire, you will come to Christ along the solemn martyr’s path.” It didn’t take long for all these seemingly prophetic words of the teacher to his student to come true... Following the darkness, light came in her life, following the involuntary immobility - the desired activity; - for a bad boat - drowning... Anastasia’s husband, sent on an imperial commission to a distant country, while traveling by sea, drowned. Since his death, she received complete freedom to devote herself entirely to serving God and her neighbors; the possession of great wealth provided her with a wide field for the manifestation of Christian love, which animated her. And especially with zeal she served the prisoners, of whom there were countless numbers everywhere during this time of persecution being carried out everywhere against Christians. Anastasia used all her strength and means to alleviate the fate of those who suffered for Christ, also taking care to save the bodies of Christians already tortured to death from desecration and give them an honest burial. - Not limited to one area, she moved from city to city, from country to country, and everywhere she gained access to the dungeons, brought food and clothing to the prisoners, bribed the prison guards so that they freed the sufferers from the iron shackles that rubbed their bodies until they became ulcers; This is probably why she received the name “Pattern Maker”. Anastasia cared not only about the physical relief of those imprisoned, but also about their mental peace and encouragement; with her conversations, full of love and sympathy, she aroused in those who were weakening the power of patience to the end - so that, perhaps, there were quite a few who owed only her encouragement and comforting, sympathetic admonition that they survived the martyrdom to the end. Carried away by her zeal to the point of self-sacrifice, Anastasia completely neglected the danger of being persecuted herself for her service to Christians, as for example, her teacher, Elder Chrysogonus, was tortured for this in the city of Aquileia. Having been beheaded in a deserted place on the seashore, St. Only a few days after his death, Chrysogonus was buried by Christians living not far from that place: a presbyter named Zoilom and three pious sisters: Agapia, Chionia and Irina. – On the 30th day after his death, St. Chrysogon appeared in a dream to the presbyter Zoilus and said to him: in nine days the three maidens living near you will be tortured; tell the servant of God Anastasia to take care of them and strengthen them in their feat. Be comforted by joyful hope, because you will soon taste the sweet fruits of your labors: soon you will be freed from earthly life and you will be brought to Christ with those who suffered for Him... The martyr Chrysogon and Anastasia warned about the same thing, and she, hastening to find those indicated to her in the dream, found them already imprisoned for confessing the faith of Christ. She stayed with them all that night, strengthening them in faith and patience. After their martyrdom, which they bravely met, Anastasia acquired their remains and buried them with honor. Continuing her ministry to prisoners in different countries, Anastasia met in Macedonia with the young widow Theodotia, the mother of three children, who began to share her labors, but was soon exposed as a Christian, and together with her children was burned 344. Anastasia was not slow to suffer the same fate... One day, having come to the prison to the prisoners whom she had served the day before, she did not find them there, since at night they were all executed in order to free up places in the prison for many other newly captured Christians. – Where are all my prisoner friends? – Anastasia asked everyone with tears. “Concluding from this that she too was a Christian, they took her and presented her to the ruler. She firmly confessed her faith to him and, declaring herself unshakable, despite any threats or flattering promises through which they wanted to save her as a rich and noble woman, she was imprisoned. “The self-interested ruler tried, however, to offer her a ransom from the torment that awaited her. “You, Christians,” he said to Anastasia, “according to the law of your Christ, should not value wealth. Therefore, leave it to me: in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ and receive freedom, which you can use to serve your God... “Give your property to the poor,” we are commanded in the Gospel of Christ,” Anastasia answered the ruler, “you are rich and you should not use the property of the poor.” Wouldn't he be mad who would provide the food necessary to satisfy a hungry man to a satiated sensualist? Now, if I saw you hungry and thirsty, or sick, I would do for you everything that Christ commanded us: I would feed you, and give you something to drink, and clothe you, and visit, and serve, and help bring you everything you need... But the reasoning of a Christian woman was inaccessible to the understanding of a pagan; Annoyed by her refusal to buy her freedom, he decided to starve her to death. However, being left without food twice for thirty days, she languished, but did not die. The holy martyr Theodotia visited her in her dreams and, talking with her, filled Anastasia’s soul with earthly joy and strengthened her.... Finally, it was decided to drown the martyr in the sea, and so she, along with other 120 people convicted of various crimes, among whom, however, there was one Christian named Eutychian, was put in a boat with a drilled bottom and taken out to sea. Having sailed a considerable distance, the warriors accompanying those doomed to death moved into another boat they had stored and returned to the shore. Meanwhile, the boat, crowded with criminals, was floating on the water... At the helm they saw a woman, whom many recognized as the martyr Theodotia: she guided the boat to the shore, and those doomed to drowning were saved... They were all amazed by this undoubted help from above and believed in God, who works miracles, about whom Eutychian and Anastasia told them, from whom all these people immediately received St. baptism. But the ruler was not touched by the amazing news of their miraculous salvation and, again capturing all 120 people condemned to execution, he handed them over to various tortures, now as confessors of Christ. Anastasia was crucified between four pillars and a fire was lit to burn her, but before the flames could engulf her, she died in agony. - This was - according to some indications - in the year 290, according to others - in the year 304. - The pious Christian Apollinaria acquired the intact remains of the martyr and gave them up for burial. Subsequently, they were transferred to Constantinople and rested in a church built in her name by Emperor Decorus (491–518) 345. Part of the relics of St. great martyr Anastasia is located in Moscow, in the Strastnoy Monastery. Pam. St. much Feodotiya - July 29th. “A month. East." archim. Serg., vol. II, part 2, p. 397.