Simeon Stylites

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Simeon Stylites is sometimes called the "Simeon Stylites the Elder." For the later saints of this name, see Simeon Stylites the Younger and Simeon Stylites III.

6th century depiction of Simeon on his column

St Simeon Stylites or Symeon the Stylite (c. 390 – 2 September 459) was a Christian ascetic saint who achieved fame because he lived for 37 years on a small platform on top of a pillar in Syria. Several other stylites later followed his model (the Greek word style means pillar).

Simeon was born at Sisan in northern Syria. Syria was incorporated in the Byzantine Empire in 395 and Christianity grew quickly. Reportedly under the influence of his mother Martha, he developed a zeal for Christianity at the age of 13, following a lecture of the Beatitudes. After beginning life as a shepherd boy, he entered a monastery before the age of 16. On one occasion, moving nearby, he commenced a severe regimen of fasting for Lent and was visited by the head of the monastery, who left him some water and loaves. A number of days later, Simeon was discovered unconscious, with the water and loaves untouched. When he was brought back to the monastery, it was discovered that he had bound his waist with a girdle made of palm fronds so tightly that days of soaking were required to remove the fibres from the wound formed. At this, Simeon was requested to leave the monastery. He then shut himself up for three years in a hut, where he passed the whole of Lent without eating or drinking (it should be noted that the Sabbath is not counted among the days of Lent, allowing those who fast to eat every seven days). He later took to standing continually upright so long as his limbs would sustain him (a practice still employed by some sadhus in today's India).

After three years in his hut, Simeon sought a rocky eminence in the desert and compelled himself to remain a prisoner within a narrow space less than 20 metres in diameter. But crowds of pilgrims invaded the desert to seek him out, asking his counsel or his prayers, and leaving him insufficient time for his own devotions. This at last led him to adopt a new way of life.

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. This first pillar was little more than four metres high, but his wellwishers subsequently replaced it with others, the last in the series being apparently over 15 metres from the ground.

Even on the highest of his columns, Simeon was not withdrawn from the world. By means of a ladder, visitors were able to ascend, and we know that he wrote letters, the text of some of which we still possess, that he instructed disciples, and that he also delivered addresses to those assembled beneath, preaching especially against profanity and usury. In contrast to the extreme austerity that he demanded of himself, his preaching conveyed temperance and compassion.

Ruins of basilica with remains of his column, Syria.

Simeon's fame spread throughout the Empire. The Emperor Theodosius and his wife Eudocia greatly respected the saint and listened to his counsels, while the Emperor Leo paid respectful attention to a letter he sent in favour of the Council of Chalcedon. Simeon is said to have corresponded with St Bernadette of Paris. 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 Byzantine Levant. He is commemorated as a saint in the Coptic Orthodox Church, where his feast is on 29 Pashons.

A contest arose between Antioch and Constantinople for the possession of Simeon's remains. The preference was given to Antioch, and the greater part of his relics were left there as a protection to the unwalled city.

The ruins of the vast edifice erected in his honour and known in Arabic as the Qal at Simân ("the Mansion of Simeon") can still be seen. They are located about 30 km northwest of Aleppo (36°20′03″N, 36°50′38″ECoordinates: 36°20′03″N, 36°50′38″E) and consist of four basilicas built out from an octagonal court towards the four points of the compass. In the centre of the court stands the base of the style or column dedicated to St. Simeon.