From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   December 25th - St. Anastasia, Martyr   
      
   The passio of Saint Anastasia explains that the saint was the daughter of a   
   prominent Roman by the name Praetextatus, and had St. Chrysogonus as her   
   advisor.  In time, she married the pagan Publius.   
      
   Anastasius went on to care for the Christians being held in prisons by   
   Diocletian, which prompted Publius to forbid Anastasia from leaving the   
   house.   
      
   Chrysogonus went to Aquileia, which prompted the two to begin   
   correspondence.   
   Publius then went on an embassy to Persia and while on the journey died.   
   Upon   
   hearing of her husband's death Anastasia moved to Aquileia to succor the   
   Christians there, and after the death of Ss. Agape, Chionia and Irene she   
   was   
   arrested herself. While imprisoned by the prefect of Illyricum, Anastasia   
   was   
   fed in her cell by the dead St. Theodota. After imprisonment she and other   
   Christians or pagans were put on a ship and abandoned at sea. Once again St.   
   Theodota came to the ship and led it back to land. With this miraculous act   
   of   
   God all the pagans were converted. These events occurred about the year AD   
   304.   
      
   Anastasia was taken then to Palmaria and burned alive. She was stretched out   
   while the faggots burned around her. On this day 270 men and women died in a   
   similar manner. St. Anastasia has been venerated in Rome since the late   
   fifth   
   century where her name appears in the canon of the Mass.   
      
   Some consider the particulars of her martyrdom in the passio suspect, but it   
   is   
   known that her death occurred under Diocletian and no records are extant to   
   counter the account in the passio. Her cult first emerged in Sirmium of   
   Pannonia, which may point to her end occurring there instead of Palmaria. In   
   any   
   event, reality often surpasses legend associated with a Saint, and no doubt   
   the   
   same is true of Saint Anastasia.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Divine providence often allows even good men to be expelled from the   
   Christian   
   community.... By their patient endurance of such injury and disgrace for the   
   peace of the Church..., they will give man a lesson in true affliction, in   
   the   
   really genuine charity, which God's service calls for. The object of such   
   men is   
   to return when the gale has blown itself out; but if this is not possible   
   because the storm continues, or is more likely to break out more furiously   
   than   
   ever if they go back, they cling to their determination ... and are prepared   
   ...   
   to defend to the death the faith which they know is preached in the Catholic   
   Church, and to support it by their loyal testimony. The Father sees these   
   men in   
   secret, and rewards them in secret.   
   -St. Augustine   
      
   Bible Quote   
   23 Jesus answered, and said to him: If any one love me, he will keep my   
   word,   
   and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our   
   abode   
   with him.   (John 14:23)   
      
      
      
   <<>><<>>   
   This day we celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord.   
   The following is a prayer to the Most Holy Trinity:   
      
   Lord Jesus Christ, on this feast of the Nativity I render unto   
   Thee my soul, my body, my will, my prayer, and my unfailing   
   fidelity to Thy Holy Church. May each breath of mine offer   
   praise and thanksgiving for that which I have received from   
   Thy bounty; and may what I possess be for the good of my   
   immortal soul. For love of Thee I offer all I am, my infant   
   Lord.   
      
   In Thy goodness grant unto me through the grace of the Holy   
   Ghost the deepest purity and wisdom, the intercession of Thy   
   Holy Angels and Saints on my behalf, and the love and   
   protection of Thy most blessed Mother.   
      
   Glory to Thee, God our Father, who art creation's Author and   
   Sovereign of all. Thou who livest and reignest with the Son in   
   the unity of the Holy Ghost, have mercy on me this day and   
   all the days of my life, 'til that time when pray my soul shall   
   come through the Judgment to rest in Thy peace, which   
   never ends.  Amen.   
      
   Traditional indulgence of 3 years; plenary on usual conditions for   
   those who say these prayers daily for one month. (1-18-1894 & 2-21-1933)   
      
   Imprimatur:  Francis Cardinal Spellman [30 May, 1951]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)