5th–6th century
Saint Sampson the Hospitable
A Roman physician who treated the poor for free and, with Justinian's help, founded one of Constantinople's first great hospitals.
Biography
Sampson was born in Rome to wealthy and pious parents and studied literature, philosophy and medicine, which he practised not for profit but purely out of charity. After his parents' death he gave away his inheritance and went to Constantinople, where he was ordained a priest by Patriarch Menas.
When Emperor Justinian fell gravely ill, Sampson's prayer healed him, and out of gratitude the emperor built a great hospital where the poor and the sick took refuge. Sampson died in peace at a great age, around 530.