Then the above-mentioned noblewoman Juliana came to her end <AD 527/8>, after having done-many good deeds in Constantinople, her eunuchs came to Jerusalem and, as they knew Abba Sabas from Constantinople, they came to him at the Great Laura, bringing a goodly sum of money, and asked him to be accepted as members of the community under his leadership. However, the Elder was opposed to receiving into a Laura a beardless (youth) or a eunuch, for he much disliked seeing a feminine face in all his monasteries, but specially in any Laura. But, since they were acquaintances of his, he encouraged and edified them with all manner of words and entrusted them to blessed Theodosius (the Coenobiarch). After having received monastic instruction for a brief period, they asked the arch-bishop to give them a place of their own. So the, archbishop (Peter) sent for one Alexander, hegumen, of the monasteries of the archbishop Elias near Jericho, who had succeeded Nestabus and Zacharias. (Peter) asked him to receive (the eunuchs) for a few days as temporary residents. But Alexander either was a slave of avarice or was overpowered by vanity: by fallacious reasoning he misrepresented the archbishop Elias’ directions and, trampling under foot his own (interest), separated the two monasteries, and from that time on the monastery that had been separated took the name of (monastery) of the Eunuchs.
(transl. Leah Di Segni)