Anastasios of Strumica

Saint Anastasios of Strumica, new martyr (also called the Bulgarian, of Radovish or of Thessaloniki, born about 1774 at Radovish, died 8 August 1794 at Thessaloniki), was a young gunsmith, an apprentice at Thessaloniki, killed by the Turks for refusing to deny his faith. He is commemorated on 8 August in the Greek Church (the Ecumenical Patriarchate) and on 29 August in the Bulgarian Church, according to the Bulgarian source; both Old Style. His life was preserved by Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite, who places his memory on 8 August; Archbishop Philaret of Chernigov has him on 29 August.

Life

He was born in the village of Radovish, in the Strumica region, called in antiquity the diocese of Tiberiopolis. At twenty he went to Thessaloniki to seek work and became an apprentice to a master gunsmith (in the Greek sources a clothes merchant). The master once asked him to pass through the city gate with some Turkish clothes from the workshop, putting them on himself, so as not to pay the tax paid by Christian merchants. Anastasios obeyed him. At the exit from the town the customs men asked him for the papers showing paid duty, and he, ashamed, said that he was a Turk and had no need to pay. The customs men, however, suspected that the young man was not a Turk and asked him to pronounce the salawat, the short confession of the Muslim faith. The youth was confused, since he did not know what was asked of him, and at once they beat him to force him to really renounce. When they saw that he remained unmoved, they gave him first to the secretary, the kehaya, then to the aga, their chief. The aga sent a soldier to the mufti to ask what to do with the Christian; the answer was: "In one hand you have the sword, in the other the book. If you are zealous for our faith, cut off his head; if you are a lover of silver and indifferent, use the book." The aga sent him to the molla (judge) with five more men to bear false witness against him.

The molla first tried to persuade him with words, inventions and flattering promises, but did not succeed, and Anastasios was ashamed still more that he had told the customs men he was a Turk. The molla ordered him beaten again and sent him to the muselim. The latter's promises were still better: even that he would become a chohandar (a favourite) and have great honour. Anastasios was ashamed still more and refused: "I am a Christian. I do not renounce my faith." The muselim had nothing left but to sentence him to the gallows, outside the so-⁠called New Gate, sending some men to accompany him toward the place of execution, to try a last time to persuade him. But, by God's will, on the very road, in agony from the beatings, he died on 8 August 1794, without reaching the place of execution, remaining to the end in the fair and shining confession of our faith.