Although Simeon was born into a Christian family, was familiar with the Gospel from childhood, one sermon changed his life forever. The young man was herding his father’s sheep, just as another hero of faith, David, had done many years before him. One day he listened to a sermon by a local priest who quoted from another sermon, the Nagorny. The words of Jesus struck Simeon: Blessed are the poor in spirit. His vision of himself and his life changed in a minute. Without going home, he went to the nearest monastery and spent a week begging the abbot to accept him. Until the age of 18, Simeon was novices, and then took tonsure. The fire of faith burned so much in him that the hegumen began to fear how another brethren looked against the background of Simeon. He asked the young man to temper or leave the monastery. The young monk left the monastery and found shelter at the bottom of the dried-up well. However, the abbot of the monastery saw an angel who ordered Simeon to return.
The monastic struggles became more and more difficult. So, one day he decides to spend the Great Sweat without food or water at all. An ordinary person would die of such deprivation, and Simeon did not even sit down for the first 20 days. Then he began to pray sitting, saving his strength.
Rumors of an unusual monk spread around and crowds of people began to flock to the place of his solitude. Then Simeon came up with the idea to build himself a pillar and on its top to retire from people. At the top of the four-meter pillar, Simeon arranged a small cell for himself. Food and water were given to him in a basket.
Having learned of such an unusual feat, the Patriarch of Antioch came to visit the saint. He ascended to the pillar, celebrated the Liturgy, and communed Simeon.
In order to somehow protect the saint from crowds of pilgrims, a fence was built around the pillar. Women were not allowed outside the fence. Stylus made no exception even for his mother. She died without seeing her son at the pillar fence. Simeon said goodbye to his dead mother, and according to legend, her face was transformed in the tomb.
For 47 years Simeon stood on a pillar. He did what few missionaries manage to do by constantly traveling. Hundreds of pagans were baptized, seeing the feat of the Stylite, listening to his speeches.
The closest companion of the saint, Antony, once could not get rid of Simeon, climbed the pillar and saw him dead, in a prayer posture. The saint was buried with a huge confluence of clergy and people. A monastery was built at the burial site.
Remembrance days
September 14
The Holy Land Charitable Foundation
Lives of Saints
