the infirmary. It was probably here that he contracted tuberculosis or a similar condition. He died about 530AD, five years after becoming a monk As he lay dying Dositheus begged Dorotheus to "pray for an early release from his sufferings". Dorotheus answered, "Have a little patience. God's mercy is near." Soon after he said to him, "Depart in peace and appear in joy before the blessed Trinity, and pray for us".After his death, Dorotheus declared that Dositheus had surpassed the rest (of his disciples) in virtue without the practice of any extraordinary austerity. Dositheus was Canonized, he is the patron saint of respiratory diseases and his Feast day is February 23. See also List of Catholic saints References External links Sr. Pascale-Dominique Nau, Psychological Maturity and Spiritual Maturity: A Reading of Dorotheus of Gaza (Rome: Lulu.com, 2012) Chapter 13 of The monks of Gaza – A history of monastic spirituality by Luc Brésard, of the abbey of Citeaux Dorothée de Gaza, Instructions'', présentation et traduction par Sr. Pascale-Dominique Nau (Rome, 2014) Dorothei episcopi Tyri qui sub Constantino magno vixit, De vita ac morte Prophetarum et Apostolorum, Synopsis Parisiis 1560 Abba Dorotheus on the Russian Orthodox Church web-site, in English Venerable Abba Dorotheus of Palestine on the Orthodox Church in America web-site, in English 505 births 565 deaths 6th-century Byzantine monks 6th-century Christian saints People from Gaza City