Saint Anastasius of Lleida

Anastasius of Lleida (Lleida, c. 263 – May 11, 305), also known as Anastasius of Badalona, was, according to tradition, a soldier in the Roman legions born in Lleida around the year 263 to a pagan family. He converted to Christianity and was martyred shortly thereafter in Badalona during the Diocletianic Persecution, with his death dated to May 11, 305. According to legend, Anastasius joined the legions and became a personal guard to Diocletian himself. He eventually converted to Christianity, moved by the faith of Christians during the persecution. Persecuted along with 73 of his companions, he was finally captured and taken to Badalona, where he was martyred. His existence and historicity have been called into question, and it is believed he may have been a saint invented in the 15th century, perhaps through a conflation with Anastasius of Persia. Nevertheless, he has been the patron saint of Lleida since 1627 and the co-patron of Badalona since 1672. His feast day did not have a fixed date until it was established on May 9, and later, in the 18th century, on May 11. This date is when the major festivals are celebrated in the two cities that hold him as their patron. Iconographically, he is represented as a Roman soldier, holding a sword in his hand and a palm as a symbol of martyrdom and his status as a follower of Christ.