He was made a iudex datus (judge) by Pope Urban II in a dispute over the ownership of the church of Castro Biccardi at Ferentino in the diocese of Troia.
On 12 February the ceremony took place at St. Peter's Basilica, and during the welcome at the door, the pope read out a decree, in which he repudiated lay investiture, and ordered all bishops to surrender their imperial fiefs to the emperor immediately and permanently.
The king and the indignant bishops retired to discuss the shocking demand, and, as evening approached, the pope refused the coronation.
[4] On 18 April, at Ponte Mammolo on the Anio River, Anastasius was one of the cardinals who were compelled to sign the papal promise to observe the agreement which Henry had drawn up.
[5] He then attended the Lateran synod, which numerous papal legates, cardinals, and bishops pressured Pope Paschal to summon.
[8] Two days after the synod, Cardinal Anastasius acted as a judge in the dispute between Abbot Albert of Sassovivo and Bishop Enrico of Spoleto.
[15] During the enthronement ceremony, Cencius Frangipani and his supporters broke into the monastery, seized and abused the pope and others, and carried Gelasius off to one of their prisons.