THE DEATH OF THE IMPIOUS EMPEROR ANASTASIOS
One of those who loved Christ told us about the Emperor Anastasios, who dismissed Euphemios and Macedonios, Patriarchs of Constantinople, and exiled them to Euchaita in Pontus because of the holy synod of the fathers at Chalcedon.
In his sleep, the Emperor Anastasios saw a man of striking appearance, dressed in white and standing before him, carrying a written book from which he was reading. He turned over five pages of the book, read out the emperor’s name, and said to him: “See, because of your faithlessness, I am expunging fourteen years,” and they say he erased them with his own finger.
Two days later, there was a severe outburst of thunder and lightning. In deep terror, the emperor surrendered his spirit, greatly distressed. This was his reward for having despised the most holy Church of Christ our God and for having exiled her shepherds.