Anastasius Magundat, Saint, Martyr

ANASTASIUS MAGUNDAT, Saint, Martyr. - Persian monk and martyr, b. at Razech, d. in 628. After the Cross was carried off to Persia in 614, Magundat, who had been instructed in magic, wanted to know why Christians venerated an instrument of torture so greatly. Having learned the rudiments of the Christian religion, he resolved to embrace it and went to Hierapolis where, in the church of the Martyrs, he learned to admire its heroism. Having then gone to Jerusalem, he received baptism there, changing his name to that of A. After 7 years of monastic life he moved to Caesarea in Palestine, then subject to the Persians, and there he was subjected to cruel tortures. A letter was written about him, to commend him, to King Khosrow, who replied that they should leave him free on condition that he abjure only formally and before a single person. A. refused. Sent to Barsiloe (Persia) where the king was, he resisted every torture and was strangled and beheaded (628). His relics were brought to Rome during the reign of Heraclius no later than 640. In two Itineraries of pilgrims - from the 7th century, namely in the De locis and in the Notia Portorum (ed. R. Valentini - G. Zucchetti, in Codice topografico della Città di Roma, II, Rome 1942, pp. 109, 150), there is the notice of the veneration of his head in the monastery "ad aquas Salvias", later called that of Sts. Vincent and A. at the Tre Fontane. His feast is celebrated on 22 January.