Samson was born into a wealthy family in Rome. His noble parents saw to it that their son received a good education. Samson acquired knowledge of the healing arts and treated the sick with great skill, taking no payment for his help. When his parents reposed, he dismissed all his servants and bondsmen and distributed his inheritance generously among the poor. The young man intended to withdraw into the desert, and for this purpose he set out for the East. Yet the Lord directed him to Constantinople.
There Samson healed beggars, strangers, and all manner of afflicted persons. Day and night people streamed to his small house, and he healed them not only by his knowledge of medicine, but also by the grace of God. The Patriarch of Constantinople, hearing of the saint, summoned him and ordained him a presbyter.
Once the venerable Samson healed the Emperor Justinian simply by touching the afflicted part of his body. The emperor, overjoyed, offered to reward him with gold, but the saint refused the generous gifts and instead asked that a hospital and a hospice for strangers be built. When they were completed, Samson himself began to minister there.
All his life Samson served his neighbour. In deep old age he fell ill and soon reposed, rejoicing in the coming meeting with his Lord. This took place about the year 530. After his repose, the sick continued to receive healing at the saint’s tomb.
The hospice and hospital continued their work through the prayers of the saint. After a time, a church was founded at the hospice, and beside it a new house was built to receive travellers. For many years it gave shelter to wayfarers, and it was not consumed even when a terrible fire broke out in the imperial city: through the prayers of the venerable Samson, rain began to fall and the flames were quenched.
