The Church commemorates Saint Anastasius the Persian.
Saint Anastasios was born in Persia and lived in the 7th century AD during the reign of King Khosrau II (590-628 AD) and the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius.
When the Persians conquered Jerusalem in AD 614, they took with them the Holy Cross as a trophy. Since many miracles performed in Persia by the presence of the Holy and Life-giving Cross, many Persians were interested in learning about the teachings of Jesus Christ. Among them is Magundat, as Anastasius was originally called. That is why he went to Jerusalem, where he was baptized and became a monk in the Monastery of Abba Justin (according to others in the Monastery of Saint Sabba) and received the Christian name Anastasius.
He then visited Caesarea in Palestine. Where local marzban was informed that he was converted to Christianism, he tried to persuade him to renounce his faith. After failing to do so, he ordered his beheading. Saint Anastasius was martyred in AD 628 with 70 other Christian martyrs.
Source: Church of Cyprus
