Saint Simeon

Saint Simeon Stylites the Elder was a devout Christian who lived in Syria from 390 AD to 459 AD. He is well known for his fasting and his faith to God. Born in Asia Minor to a shepherd, he joined a monastery at the age of thirteen. In later years, he lived for a year and a half in a hut with no food or water at all during the Lent fasting season. Hailed as a miracle, pilgrims around the region came to greet him. In order to get away from the ever increasing number of people who frequently came to him for prayers and advice, leaving him little if any time for his private austerities, Simeon discovered a pillar which had survived amongst ruins, formed a small platform at the top, and upon this determined to live out his life. It has been stated that, as he seemed to be unable to avoid escaping the world horizontally, he may have thought it an attempt to try to escape it vertically. Over the years he changed pillars, gradually getting higher; moving from originally four meters to fifteen. In the afternoons he allowed visitors and pilgrims to talk with him, share food and writing supplies, as well as spiritual advice. Simeon became so influential that a church delegation was sent to him to demand that he descend from his pillar as a sign of submission. When, however, he showed himself willing to comply, the request was withdrawn. Once when he was ill, Theodosius sent three bishops to beg him to come down and allow himself to be attended by physicians, but Simeon preferred to leave his cure in the hands of God, and before long he recovered. After spending 37 years on his pillar, Simeon died on 2 September 459. He inspired many imitators, and, for the next century, ascetics living on pillars, "stylites", were a common sight throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. His faithfulness helped him get through the toughness of life ans is an inspiration to all who are suffering.