<AD 485: The monasteries of Euthymius and Theoctistus split up on account of economic friction and the common property was divided.>
(7) After the separation of the land around the monastery (from the common estate), Paul <the hegumen of St. Theoctistus’ monastery> built a tower on the separated lands and paid two hundred solidi for purchase of a hostel, in order that he alone should hold in possession the common hostel in the holy city. Then the (monks) of Great Euthymius’ monastery bought a hostel with those 200 solidi from the fathers of the Laura of Souka, near David’s tower. For his part, Abba Cyriacus, grieving in his mind of the division intervened between the two monasteries, withdrew (from the Laura of Euthymius) and went to the Laura of Souka, at about the end of the eighth indiction <August 485>. There he fulfilled four offices in different years: bakery duty, hospital duty, hostel duty and stewardship, and after having served all the fathers to their edification, (Cyriacus) was admitted to priesthood: for he had already been ordained deacon in the monastery of great Euthymius, and, after four years, was promoted keeper of the sacred vases (treasurer of the church) and director of the divine office, in the 40th year of his life; and after 13 years spent in this same office, he became a priest and remained treasurer and director of the divine office for yet other 18 years.
(8) He assured me that during all this long period of 31 years, when he was director of the divine office and treasurer, the sun had never seen him eating or displaying anger. He also said to me; “I never finished striking the signal wood-drum of the laura for the night psalmody, till I had recited the whole ‘blameless’ ” <Ps. 119: ‘Blessed are those whose way is blameless’>. In the 77th year of his life, (Cyriacus) handed over the office of treasurer, on the third indiction <AD 525> and retired to the inner desert of Natoupha with a disciple.
(transl. Leah Di Segni)