ANASTASIO the ELDER, saint. – Patriarch of Antioch (559–99). He occupied the patriarchal see (559) following the death of Doninus and was an intrepid defender of orthodoxy, taking a stand against Justinian’s final dogmatic edict, which sought to impose Aphthartodocetism as the teaching of the Church. The basileus intended to exile him, but death did not give him time to do so. With the accession of his successor Justin, A. was expelled from his see (570) and relegated to Jerusalem. The exile was consoled during his banishment by s. Gregorius Magnus, who, after working for A.’s rehabilitation, joyfully welcomed his return to his see in 593. He died in 598 or at the beginning of the following year. During his exile, he continued the struggle against heresy and composed five dissertations that have come down to us in Latin translation: De Sanctissima Trinitate; De incircumscripta Dei essentia; De divina economia; De passione et impassibilitate Christi; De resurrectione Christi (PG 89, 1309–62). Four homilies have likewise been transmitted under A.’s name (PG 89, 1362–98), one of which is inauthentic, while the others are doubtful. The pastoral letter addressed to his people on 25 March 593, upon taking possession of his see again, was published by Cardinal J. B. Pitra, Iuris ecclesiastici Graecorum historia
