Veneration
He is mentioned by Saint Asterius of Amasia (ca. 400). Phocas is the Greek word for "seal", which may explain his patronage of sailors and mariners. A sailors' custom was to serve Phocas a portion of every meal; this was called "the portion of St. Phocas." This portion was bought by one of the voyagers and the price was deposited in the hands of the captain. When the ship came into port, the money was distributed among the poor, in thanksgiving to their benefactor for their successful voyage. He is mentioned in the work by Laurentius Surius. This tradition may be connected to a similar practice among sailors in the Black Sea of giving food offerings to an invisible sprite known as the Klabautermann.
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