Saint of the Day – 27 June – Saint Sampson of Constantinople (Died c530) Priest, Apostle of the poor and ill, Physician, founder of a hospital for the poor which lasted for hundreds of years. Born in Rome and died in c530 in Constantinople of natural causes. Also known as – Sampson the Hospitable, Samson…. Father of the Poor.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Constantinople, St Sampson, a Priest who harboured the poor.”
Sampsonwas born in Rome to a prominent and devout family. He was a Physician who devoted much of his time to helping the poor and sick.
He moved to Constantinople and there turned his home into a free hospitable, providing his patients with food, a bed and medical care. He was later Ordained a Priest.
When the Byzantine Emperor,Justinian the Great became ill, he sent for Sampson to cure him. He was the only Physician in the City to help the Emperor’s illness and the latter wanted to reward him. Sampson requested that the Emperor help him establish a new hospital for the poor. With the Emperor’s assistance, Sampson foundeda hospital which became the largest free clinic in the Empire and served the people of Constantinople for 600 years.
Sampson was buried in the Church of the Holy Martyr St Mocius (Died c190) in Constantinople.
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