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Anastasius of Cluny

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Anastasius of Palestine

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a monk and hermit, was born of a noble family at Venice. Being anxious to devote himself entirely to the service of God, he left his country and retired to Mont-Saint-Michel, where he embraced the monastic life; this was somewhat before the middle of the 11th century. Finding, however, that the abbot of his monastery was guilty of simony, he left it, and betook himself to an island in the sea, where he led a hermit's life. His fame reached the ears of Hugo, abbot of Cluny, who visited him in his solitude and induced him to return with him to Cluny, where he remained seven years, an example of all good to the brethren, diligently perusing the Greek and Latin fathers, and laying the foundation of his future admirable exhortations. Gregory VII directed the abbot of Cluny to send him into Spain to preach to the infidels, a work to which he applied himself with alacrity and zeal, but with little fruit, and he soon returned to Cluny. Afterwards he began to sigh for his hermit life, and obtained permission to retire into the Pyrenees, where he abode in solitude three years instructing the people. He died on his return to Cluny, October 16, about the year 1086, at a place now called Doydes, in the diocese of Rieux. A small work of Anastasius. containing his faith on the subject of the eucharist is extant. it was written to William, abbot of Corneilles, who demanded his opinion of the subject on the occasion of the speculations of Berenger.