[citation needed] When he was younger he felt a desire to imitate Abraham by leaving his parents, friends, relatives and everything else for the love of God.

During this time there lived a wealthy and pious woman named Ikelia, who built a church near a place called "The Old Kathisma" and dedicated it to the Theotokos.

There is a tradition from the ancient fathers that this was the same cave the three Magi spent the night after they had worshiped the Lord, and that an angel was sent there and ordered them to return to their own country by another way, which they did.

The community grew rapidly, with monks of several cultures and languages, and became very well known for its work with the sick, elderly, and mentally impaired.

[citation needed] Theodosius was a staunch opponent of Miaphysitism, which caused the Emperor Anastasius to remove him from office temporarily.

[citation needed] A Maronite tradition has it that, when Theodosius was at the age of ninety, he was exiled by Emperor Anastasius, who was fighting Chalcedonian Orthodoxy, and took refuge in Lebanon where he established the monastery of Qannoubine ("common living") in Kadisha Valley.