Baring-Gould’s sources: Greek Menaea and Menologies. Menology of Basil. Russian Kalendar. Inserted by Baronius in the Modern Roman Martyrologies. Authority: — The fabulous Acts in Greek by Metaphrastes. Mention by Nicetas Paphlagonius in the 9th cent, and the Menologies.] S. Anastasia the Elder, as she is called by the Greeks, was a maiden of Rome, who at the age of twenty placed herself in a house of consecrated virgins under the direction of a superior named Sophia.

When the persecution of Diocletian [Roman emperor 284–305, who began the ‘Great Persecution’ of Christians in 303] broke out, the soldiers of Probus, prefect of the city,1 broke open the doors of the 1 There was no Probus prefect of the city before 37a, when Sextus Petronius Probus held that office.

[Oct-* house, rushed in, and seized on Anastasia. She was con- | ducted before Probus, who ordered her to be stripped naked. “ The shame is on you, judge ! M exclaimed the maiden. “ I retain my vesture of innocence and righteousness.” Then he ordered her breasts to be cut off with a razor and her nails to be plucked out with pincers. Then her tongue was cut out and teeth broken.

A man looking on, named Cyril, was so moved by compassion for her sufferings that he filled a bowl of water and put it to her lips, for which deed of mercy he was sentenced to lose his head. Anastasia was also finally dismissed by the sword. Sophia took up and hid her body. It was afterwards translated to Constantinople. The Roman Church was profoundly ignorant of its having | possessed such a distinguished martyr till informed of the fact by the Greek romance which passes as her acts. Baronius [Cardinal Baronius (d. 1607), church historian who edited the Roman Martyrology] hastened to redress the error by inserting her ( name in the Roman Martyrology. There is no evidence that there ever was such a martyrdom. The acts are a fabrication of late date.

This Anastasia is by no means to be confounded with Anastasia the widow and martyr of Rome, whose name occurs in the Roman canon. Probably this latter Anastasia has been made into two with distinct acts.