Zevi as the next messiah for the Jewish people. However, Sabbatai Zevi's acceptance of this messianic role was not instantaneous. His first encounter with Nathan of Gaza was not about his position as the next Jewish savior, but rather as a patient to a doctor. At the time, Nathan of Gaza was becoming well known as a spiritual physician. Sabbatai Zevi visited him in hopes of curing him from an illness that he had contracted. (Gershom Scholem later believed that Sabbatai Zevi suffered from a psychological condition he identified as "manic-depressive psychosis", today normally called "bipolar disorder".) Instead of trying to aid him with his psychological sickness, Nathan of Gaza divulged to Sabbatai Zevi his prophetic vision. Initially, when "…Nathan addressed him as the messiah, 'he laughed at him and said, 'I had it [the messianic vocation], but have sent it away.' '" It was only through intense discussion and much persuasion that he was able to sway Sabbatai Zevi into accepting his messianic mission. Then, in May 1665, Sabbatai Zevi made the decision that would place Nathan of Gaza and himself in the public sphere forever. He exposed himself to the world as the true savior. In December 1665, Sabbatai Zevi and Nathan of Gaza parted ways. Sabbatai Zevi embarked on a journey to Turkey where he would begin to advocate his newfound position as the Jewish savior. They would not see each other again until after Sabbatai Zevi's later conversion to Islam. Thus, from the fall of 1665 until the summer of 1666, the two worked arduously on the next stage of their movement–convincing the world that Sabbatai Zevi was the messiah. Seeing that the rabbis of Jerusalem were very hostile to the Sabbatean movement, Nathan proclaimed Gaza to be henceforth the holy city. He first spread about the Messiah's fame by sending circulars from Palestine to the most important communities in Europe. Then he visited several of the chief cities in Europe, Africa, and India, and finally returned to Palestine. Even after Sabbatai Zevi's apostasy Nathan did not desert his cause; but, thinking it unsafe to remain in Palestine any longer, he made preparations to go to Smyrna. The rabbis, seeing that the credulous were confirmed anew in their belief, excommunicated all the Sabbatians, and particularly Nathan (Dec 9, 1666), warning everybody against harboring or even approaching him. After a stay of a few months at Smyrna