When the holy Abba Marcianus went to rest in Christ <23 Nov. 492>, all the monks of the desert gathered at the Patriarch Sallustius’ sick bed and unanimously elected the great Theodosius as archimandrite of the coenobia that are subject to the holy city, instead of Gerontius, (head of the monastery) of blessed Melania. As his second in command their appointed Paul, now with the saints, the hegumen of Abba Martyrius’ monastery. In order to take the place of the blessed fathers Passarion and Elpidius, (the monks of the desert) elected our holy father Sabas archimandrite and lawgiver of all the laurae and anchorites of Palestine, and as his second in command (they appointed) the blessed Eugenius, hegumen of the laura of the holy father Gerasimus.
(transl. Leah Di segni)