Venerable Martyr
Venerable Martyr Anastasius the Persian
† 628
Also known as: Анастасий Персидский, Магундат (мирское имя)
The son of a Persian Zoroastrian priest, converted to Christianity and became a monk; strangled together with 70 prisoners on a riverbank for refusing to renounce Christ.
Venerable Martyr Anastasius, named Magundat in the world, was the son of the Persian Zoroastrian priest Vav. Coming to believe in Christ, he was baptized in Jerusalem, receiving the name Anastasius at baptism, after which he took monastic vows. At trial before the khan Marzavan he firmly confessed himself a Christian, for which he was placed in iron chains and sent to stonecutting labor. Together with him, 70 prisoners, among whom were many Christians, were subjected to cruel torment; all were strangled on the bank of a river. The martyrdom of Venerable Anastasius took place in 628.