Dorotheos of Gaza

Our venerable and God-bearing Father Dorotheos of Gaza (also Dorotheus or Dorotheos of Egypt) was a sixth-century hermit. He practiced asceticism in the desert of Egypt for 60 years, and became known for his sermons. His feast day is celebrated on September 16 and August 13 in the Greek (and Romanian) tradition.

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Life

Dorotheus, an Egyptian hermit, was a native of the Thebaid region in Egypt and labored in asceticism for 60 years in the Skete desert, on the Western side of the River Nile. Palladius, Bishop of Helenopolis and author of the renowned Lausiac History, was a disciple of Dorotheus in his youth, and preserved what memories we have of him. According to his work, Dorotheus led an austere and ascetical life. After finishing his prayers, he would venture into the heat of noon and gather stones along the seashore to build cells for the other hermits. By night he would weave baskets, in exchange for which he received the supplies he needed in order to live.

His food consisted of bread and the the grass of the wilderness and would eat only once a day and drank a little water. He barely slept, but only dozed off sometimes at work, or after eating.

Once, St. Dorotheus sent his disciple to fetch water, but he returned saying that he saw a snake in the well and that the water in the well was now poisoned. St. Dorotheus went to the well himself, took up a ladle of water, and making the Sign of the Cross over it he drank it, saying: "Where the Cross is, there the demonic powers do no harm." St. Dorotheus died peacefully at an advanced age.

Quotation

"What we need is a little labor! Let us endure this labor that we may obtain mercy."

External links

• Venerable Dorotheus the Hermit of Egypt (OCA)
• The Venerable Dorotheus (Prologue of Ohrid)
• Dorotheos of Gaza by Timothy W. Seid (The Ecole Initiative)
• Dorotheos of Gaza by Karen Rae Keck (The Ecole Initiative)
• The Monks of Gaza c. 500
• Dorotheus of Gaza (Sixth Century) Humility and Communion
• Dorotheus of Gaza at Wikipedia
• "Directions on the Spiritual Life" by Abba Dorotheus of Gaza from Early Fathers from the Philokalia, Parts I, II, III, IV, and V
• The Ethos of Lent by V. Rev. Fr. George Morelli