Sainte Anastasie
Martyrisée à Rome, au Ier siècle (✝ v. 64)
et son amiesainte Basilisse, martyres romaines qui furent condamnées à mort pour avoir enseveli, selon la tradition, les saints Apôtres Pierre et Paul. Elles connurent les supplices habituels et cruels de la part de l'empereur Néron.
Sainte Basilisse
Martyre à Rome (✝ v. 64)
En compagnie de son amie Anastasie, martyres romaines qui furent condamnées à mort pour avoir enseveli, selon la tradition, les saints Apôtres Pierre et Paul. Elles connurent les supplices habituels et cruels de la part de l'empereur Néron.
Les Saintes-femmesBasilissaetAnastasiaont vécuà Rome etont été convertiesau Christianismepar les apôtresPierre et Paul.Elles se sontconsacrées au servicedu Seigneur.
Quand les chrétiens sous l'Empereur Néron(54-68) furent persécutés etlivrés àla tortureet à l'exécution,SaintesBasilissaetAnastasiaont pris lescorps des saintsmartyrset leur ont donnél'enterrementrespectueux.Les rumeurs dececi atteignirentNéron, de sorte que Saintes BasilissaetAnastasiaont été enfermésen prison.Ils les ontsoumis àde cruelles tortures:ils les ontfouettésavec des fouets,grattéleur peauavec des crochets,etles brûlèrent au feu.Les saintes martyressont restéinflexibles, cependant, et ont courageusementavouéleurFoi dans le ChristSauveur.Par l'ordre deNéron,ellesfurent décapitéspar l'épée(+ca.68).
Basilissa & Anastasia MM (RM)
Died c. 62. The story is told that these two noble Roman women were converted to Christianity by the preaching of SS. Peter and Paul. After each of the apostles was martyred in Rome, Basilissa and Anastasia found their bodies and buried them secretly under the screen of night. This infuriated the authorities, who discovered who had buried the apostles and cast the two women into jail, eventually bringing them before the tribunal of Nero. Neither Basilissa nor Anastasia would renounce their Christian faith. In consequence, both were sentenced to be savagely mutilated--tongues ripped out and limbs cut off--before they were beheaded. Only the Greeks have recorded their story; many modern hagiographers doubt the existence of these ladies (Attwater2, Benedictines, Bentley, Butler, Coulson, Delaney, Encyclopedia, Husenbeth).
In art, SS. Basilissa and Anastasia are portrayed with their hands, feet, and heads cut off. They may also be shown burying the bodies of SS. Peter and Paul (Roeder).
Ss. Basilissa and Anastasia of Rome
Commemorated on April 15
The Holy Women Martyrs Basilissa and Anastasia lived in Rome and were converted to Christianity by the holy Apostles Peter and Paul. They devoted themselves to the service of the Lord.
When Emperor Nero persecuted the Christians and gave them over to torture and execution, Ss. Basilissa and Anastasia took the bodies of the holy apostles and gave them a reverent burial. Rumors of this reached Nero, and he ordered that Ss. Basilissa and Anastasia be locked up in the prison. The women were subjected to cruel tortures: were scourged with whips, had their skin scraped with hooks, and were burned with fire. However, the holy martyrs remained unyielding, and bravely confessed their faith in Christ the Savior.
By Nero’s command, they were beheaded with the sword in 68.
Sante Anastasia e BasilissaMartiri
m. Roma, 68 circa
Etimologia: Anastasio = risorto, dal greco; Basilissa = regina, dal greco
Emblema: Palma
Le sante Anastasia e Basilissa, nobili matrone romane, furono discepole dei Santi apostoli Pietro e Paolo, dei quali ebbero il singolare incarico e privilegio di seppellirne i corpi martoriati.
Persistettero costanti nella professione della loro fede e, dopo esser stata loro tagliata la lingua ed essere state percosse con la spada, conseguirono anch’esse la corona del martirio sotto l’imperatore Nerone, attorno all’anno 68.
I resti delle due gloriose martiri, secondo il Diario Romano del 1926, sarebbero ancora oggi custoditi in Santa Maria della Pace.
Il Martyrologium Romanum nelle passate edizioni ricordava le sante Anastasia e Basilissa al 15 aprile, ma le ultime riforme in materia hanno accomunato tutti i primi martiri cristiani di Roma in un’unica commemorazione posta al 30 giugno.
Autore: Fabio Arduino