St. Anastasia III

Martyr honored with a special commemoration in the second Mass celebrated on Christmas Day. She is also included in the Roman canon of the Mass, although she was not venerated in Rome until the end of the fifth century. Probably a native of Sirmium, Pannonia, she was martyred during the persecutions initiated by Emperor Diocletian. Tradition states that she was the daughter of Praetextatus, a noble Roman. She married a pagan named Publius, who died while on a mission to Persia. As a widow, Anastasia cared for the Christians, enduring persecution, and was arrested herself. On a ship with other prisoners, Anastasia was miraculously saved from drowning by St. Theodata. The prisoners, including Anastasia, landed on the island of Palmaria, where they were burned to death. She was made patroness of a basilica in Rome in the sixth century.