Saint Simeon the Stylite
Saint Simeon the Stylite (born c. 388 AD in Sis (modern Kozan), Cilicia (modern Turkey); died September 2, 459 AD at Qal'at Sim'an, Syria) was a Syrian Christian ascetic who became the first stylite — a saint who dwelt continuously on top of a pillar. He spent approximately 37 years atop progressively taller pillars at Qal'at Sim'an (modern Syria), the last pillar reportedly 15 to 18 meters high. He became one of the most visited pilgrims in the ancient world and one of the most famous Christians of his era. His feast day is January 5 in the Roman Rite.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Simeon the Stylite
| Saint Simeon the Stylite | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | January 05 |
| Profession | Stylite (pillar-dweller); hermit-ascetic; confessor; spiritual director to the Eastern Roman Empire; theologian |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodox Church; Syrian Christianity; 5th-century Byzantine asceticism; defender of Chalcedonian orthodoxy; stylite tradition |
| Patronage | Shepherds (he was a shepherd as a boy); Syria; the Syrian church; Byzantine ascetic tradition; those who seek radical Christian witness; television (informal modern joke attribution — because he was always "on a platform" and watched by crowds) |
| Attributes | Atop a tall pillar; rope or chain (early austerities); crowds of pilgrims below; letters in hand (correspondence with emperors); Syrian landscape; cross or cruciform gesture; flowing white beard |
| Birthplace | Sis, Cilicia (modern Kozan, Turkey) |
| Death Place | Qal'at Sim'an, Syria (near Aleppo) |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; died September 2, 459 AD, atop his pillar at Qal'at Sim'an; he was approximately 71 years old; he had spent approximately 37 years continuously on his pillars without ever descending; his disciple Antoninus noticed he had not risen for prayer and climbed up to find him dead, leaning on the pillar in his customary position; his body was brought down and taken to Antioch; his death caused an enormous response across the Christian world |
| Primary Shrine | Qal'at Sim'an Church complex, Syria — the Byzantine basilica built over his pillar's base; the octagonal court with the remains of the pillar; a pilgrimage site (now in a conflict-affected region but still standing); UNESCO World Heritage Area |
| Liturgical Class | Memorial (Roman Rite); January 5; Major feast in Eastern Christianity (September 1 in Eastern traditions) |
| Historic Class | Double (January 5) in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Simeon was born c. 388 AD in Sis, Cilicia (modern Turkey), the son of a shepherd. He began working as a shepherd himself as a child. Hearing the Beatitudes read in church inspired him to seek a more perfect life. He attached himself to a monastic community at Telneshin but was expelled for excessive austerities — he had wound a rope so tightly around his body that it embedded itself in his flesh.
He lived as a hermit near Qal'at Sim'an (northwest Syria). The crowds of pilgrims who came to seek his counsel and touch him were so overwhelming that c. 423 AD he had a platform built to give himself space. Over the next years he progressively raised the height of the pillar: from approximately 1 meter to 3 meters, then 6, then 12, and finally approximately 15–18 meters.
He spent approximately 37 years atop pillars, never descending. He preached twice daily to the crowds below, corresponded with emperors and bishops by letter, and exercised remarkable influence in the controversies of his era. Emperor Theodosius II, Emperor Marcian, and Emperor Leo I all consulted him. He supported the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) against the Monophysite heresy.
He died atop his pillar on September 2, 459 AD.
His disciples built the extraordinary Byzantine pilgrimage complex of Qal'at Sim'an over his pillar's base — one of the largest church complexes of Late Antiquity, whose ruins survive in Syria.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Sis, Cilicia (modern Kozan, Turkey)
Death location: Qal'at Sim'an, Syria (near Aleppo)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Qal'at Sim'an, Syria — the Byzantine cruciform basilica built over the base of his pillar; octagonal court; pillar remains; one of the great Late Antique pilgrimage sites.
Feast day
January 5
Veneration
Saint Simeon the Stylite was the first Christian pillar-dweller, spending 37 years atop progressively taller pillars in Syria. He was the most famous individual in the Mediterranean world during his lifetime and exercised theological and political influence from his pillar. His feast is January 5.
Prayers
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