Great Martyr
Great Martyr Anastasia The Deliverer From Potions
III–IV век — †304
Great Martyr Anastasia the Pharmakolytria — a Roman woman, daughter of the secret Christian Fausta, disciple of Hieromartyr Chrysogonus, who devoted herself to ministering to imprisoned Christians through providing medicines (hence "Pharmakolytria" — "deliverer from potions/healer"); martyred stretched between four pillars over a fire under Emperor Diocletian in 304; commemorated at every Proskomedia.
Great Martyr Anastasia was born in Rome to the pagan senator Praetextatus and the secret Christian Fausta. She was instructed in the faith by Hieromartyr Chrysogonus. At her father's wish she was forced into marriage with the pagan Pompilius, but preserved her virginity by feigning illness.
After her husband's death at sea, she used her inherited wealth to minister to Christians imprisoned in jails — visiting them, bringing medicines and comfort, for which she received the epithet "Deliverer from Potions" (Greek Pharmakolytria, "deliverer from potions/healer"). She followed Hieromartyr Chrysogonus to Aquileia and Illyricum, supporting the martyrs Agapia, Chionia, and Irene.
Under Emperor Diocletian she was seized, subjected to 60 days of starvation, and then suffered martyrdom, crucified between four pillars over a fire, in 304.
Her feast is kept on December 22/January 4. She is commemorated at every Divine Liturgy at the Proskomedia among the chosen saints.
IMPORTANT CORRECTION: two contaminated dates ("November 12" and "October 28," belonging to other saints — Anastasia of Thessalonica and others) have been removed — only the single correct date, December 22/January 4, remains. One of two nearly identical paired image files has been removed (great_martyr_anastasia_the_deliverer_2.jpg and martyr_..._1.jpg turned out to be the same shot, re-saved under two different names).