Anastasia of Sirmium

Saint Anastasia
Modern Orthodox Christian icon of Saint Anastasia the Great-Martyr.
Martyr
Born	Second century Roman or Sirmian native
Died	December 25 (Third century) Sirmium, Pannonia Secunda (modern Serbia)
Venerated in	Coptic Orthodox Church Eastern Orthodox Church Roman Catholic Church,
Major shrine	Cathedral of St. Anastasia, Zadar
Feast	December 22 (Orthodox); December 25 (Catholic)
Attributes	palm branch, bowl of fire (West); martyrs cross, medicine pot (East)
Patronage	martyrs; weavers; widows; those suffering from poison

Saint Anastasia (died 25 December 304) is a Christian saint and martyr who died at Sirmium in the Roman province of Pannonia Secunda (modern Serbia). In the Orthodox Church, she is venerated as St. Anastasia the Pharmakolytria, i.e. "Deliverer from Potions" (Ἁγία Ἀναστασία ἡ Φαρμακολύτρια).

Concerning Anastasia little is reliably known, save that she died in the persecutions of Diocletian; most stories about her date from several centuries after her death and make her variously a Roman or Sirmian native and a Roman citizen of patrician rank. One legend makes her the daughter of a certain Praetextus and the pupil of Saint Chrysogonus. Catholic tradition states that her mother was St. Fausta of Sirmium.

Anastasia has long been venerated as a healer and exorcist. Her relics lie in the Cathedral of St. Anastasia in Zadar, Croatia.

She is one of seven women, who along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, are commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass.

This martyr enjoys the distinction, unique in the Roman liturgy, of having a special commemoration in the second Mass on Christmas Day. The day's Mass was originally celebrated not in honour of the birth of Christ but rather in commemoration of this martyr, and towards the end of the 5th century her name was also inserted in the Roman Canon. Nevertheless, she is not a Roman saint, for she suffered martyrdom at Sirmium, and was venerated at Rome until almost the end of the 5th century. It is true that a later legend, not earlier than the 6th century, makes Anastasia a Roman, though even in this legend she did not suffer martyrdom at Rome. The same legend connects her name with that of St. Chrysogonus, likewise not a Roman martyr, but put to death in Aquileia, though the San Crisogono church in Rome is dedicated to him.