ASTERIUS of PETRA in ARABIA, St. — He took part with the 80 Eastern bishops at the Council of Sardica (autumn 343); but, together with Arius, bishop of Petra in Palestine, he separated from them to rejoin the group of the Westerners (Athanasius, *Apolog. pro vita sua*, 48). The emperor Constantius exiled him to Upper Libya (Athanasius, *Hist. Arian. ad monachos*, 8). In the spring of 362 he was recalled from exile and, passing through Alexandria, took part in the synod gathered by Athanasius; indeed, together with Eusebius of Vercelli, he was entrusted with bringing to Antioch the synodal letter, which he had signed, in an attempt to restore the fortunes of the Nicene party in that city (*Tom. ad Antioch.*: *PG* 26, 795-810). The mission failed because the precipitate action of Lucifer of Cagliari had prejudiced the situation. Baronius included him in the *Roman Martyrology* under 10 June.
ASTERIO DI PETRA NELL'ARABIA, SANTO
BIBL.: *Martyr. Romanum*, p. 232; G. Bardy, in *Storia della Chiesa*, ed. by A. Fliche and V. MARTINO G, Italian trans. III, Turin 1940, pp. 129, 137, 248-52.