Saint Samson the Innkeeper
Date of celebration: 27/06
Saint Samson was born in Rome to rich but pious and virtuous parents. Intelligent as he was, he studied literature, philosophy and medicine. Wishing from his early age to live according to the Christian standard of life, he treated medicine not as a profitable profession but for purely charitable and beneficent purposes.
He reached out without discrimination to anyone in need, helping him, comforting him and supporting him in the faith. When his parents fell asleep, he divided the large fortune he had inherited and went to Constantinople. There he visited all the monasteries. There he actually found refuge to calm down and study the Holy Scriptures. His fame, which quickly spread, attracted the favor of that great emperor, Justinian.
At the same time, his great theological training and his other virtues attracted the interest of the Patriarch of Constantinople, Minas, who ordained him an elder. Once Justinian was stricken with a serious illness and asked for the help of the Saint.
The Saint prayed fervently and managed to save the emperor’s life. Wanting to thank him and express his gratitude to the Saint, he built a hospital which quickly became a great charitable institution where the needy and the weak took refuge to be healed and find comfort and support. Having accomplished a vast and admirable work, he slept peacefully in old age.
