Dorotheus of Gaza

Training under Barsanuphius of Palestine is recorded. The recorded working language is Ancient Greek. Places of work recorded in the authority are Gaza Strip and Gaza City. Positions recorded include abbot. Work by Dorotheus of Gaza is recorded in the collections of J. Paul Getty Museum.

Dorotheus was born at the beginning of the sixth century (possibly between 506–508) into a prosperous family in Antioch in Syria. His family was likely Christian and he was likely very close with his brother, who later became a benefactor of the monastic community Dorotheus was living in and possibly even a monk himself. Not much more is known from his childhood, though his Discourses and letters are scattered with many autobiographical details. His health was limited throughout his whole life and, as he got older, he suffered more serious illnesses. Dorotheus received from an early age onwards a classical education and he continued his studies at either Alexandria or, more likely, Gaza. Eric Wheeler suggests that he was taught by the sophist Procopius of Gaza, who Wheeler considers to be implicitly mentioned in the one of Dorotheus' Discourses. Next to rhetoric, he studied medicine and his later writings show him to be conversant in the medical theories of his day, as well as the use of medical terms and accurate descriptions of wound treatments.

At an unknown time, he entered the monastery of Seridus near Gaza. Contacts between the intellectual environment of Gaza, especially of the rhetorical school of Gaza, and the monastic communities around the city are well known and it is likely that this is how Dorotheus got to know the abbot of the monastery, Seridus, and the anchorites Barsanuphius and John the Prophet. Dorotheus entered the monastery in hope of a life of quiet contemplation and prayer and aspired to be an anchorite himself. However, he soon had to face several issues and the normal temptations when converting from a life in luxury to one of ascetic discipline. He had difficulties giving up his property, struggled with some of the ascetic practices and his relationship to his monk brothers was at times difficult. Abbot Seridus, recognising Dorotheus' talent and intelligence, gave him various responsibilities which Dorotheus rejected as he thought it would hinder him in his spiritual progression, but in the end he agreed to Seridus' wishes. Thus, he served first as porter and then as overseer of the xenodochium (guesthouse) before he was asked by Barsanuphius and John to establish and run a hospital in the monastery. Dorotheus own brother, who had already proved himself a good friend and benefactor of the community, offered to provide the means for the building of the hospital. Many sick came to the hospital and Dorotheus, who always sought a more contemplative life, consulted Barsanuphius often about how to keep up his prayer life while managing the charges of head doctor at the infirmary. When Dorotheus doubted whether to restrict the methods of healing and not use the medical books he had brought with him to the monastery, Barsanuphius encouraged him to use the methods included in the books. According to the Life of Dositheus, Dorotheus was given several assistants, one of which was a young man named Dositheus, who would become the first disciple of Dorotheus and considered a saint himself. Throughout Dorotheus life at the monastery, he was in close contact with the so-called Great Old Men, Barsanuphius and John, through the letters, the way they corresponded with other people. When the personal assistant to John fell ill, Dorotheus became the direct contact person between John and his petitioners, both in the monastic community and others; it is not clear whether he also recorded letters from John directly as Seridus did for Barsanuphius. He served in this position for nine years; during that time, he continued to mature spiritually, moving into a separate cell from the common dormitory and also starting to give spiritual direction to younger monks who came to him with their spiritual problems. After the deaths of John and Seridus and the subsequent total seclusion of Barsanuphius between 540 and 543, the fate of Dorotheus becomes unknown. It has been suggested that he left the monastery and either joined or established a new monastery between Gaza and Maiuma or that he also finally retired to a more secluded hermitage and devoted himself fully to contemplative life while possibly still serving as archimandrite to the surrounding monasteries. According to the legendary biography of Barsanuphius from twelfth century southern Italy, Dorotheus died either in the 560s or 580s.

• Dorotheus on how to counter vices. 11. Everyone that desires salvation must not only avoid evil, but is obliged to do good, just as it says in the Psalm: "Depart from evil and do good" (Psalm 34:14). For example, if somebody was angry, he must not only not get angry, but also become meek; if somebody was proud, he must not only refrain from being proud but also become humble. Thus, every passion has an opposing virtue: pride — humility, stinginess — charity, lust — chastity, faintheartedness — patience, anger — meekness, hatred — love. • Dorotheus on how to avoid anger. 27. It is impossible for anyone to get angry with his neighbor without initially raising himself above him, belittling him and then regarding himself higher than the neighbor. • Dorotheus on humility. 31. Know that if a person is oppressed by some thought and he does not confess it (to his spiritual father), he will give the thought more power to oppose and torment him. If the person confesses the oppressive thought, if he opposes and struggles with it, instilling into himself the desire for the opposite to the thought, then the passion will weaken and will eventually cease to plague him. Thus with time, in committing himself and receiving assistance from God, that person will conquer the passion itself. • Dorotheus on how to see the good in others. 44. I heard of one person that when he came to one of his friends and found the room in disarray and even dirty, he would say to himself: "Blessed is this person, because having deferred his concerns for earthly cares, he has concentrated his mind that much toward Heaven, that he doesn’t even have time to tidy up his room." But when he came to another friend's place and found his room tidy and neat, he would say to himself; "The soul of this person is as clean as his room, and the condition of the room speaks of his soul." And he never judged another that he was negligent or proud, but through his kind disposition, saw good in everyone and received benefits from everyone. May the good Lord grant us the same kind disposition, so that we too may receive benefits from everyone and so that we never notice the failings of others.[10]

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The authorities additionally record the heading Dorotheos of Gaza. His recorded language was Ancient Greek.

Recorded position is abbot. He worked at Gaza Strip and Gaza City.