Gary Neal Hansen

Theology. It's good for you.

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Anything for Jesus: St. Simeon Stylites

September 1, 2015 by Gary Neal Hansen 7 Comments

Simeon Stylites. Anything for JesusI’ve always known in my bones that we should celebrate New Year’s Day on September 1.

New pencils. Empty notebooks. Fresh eager faces. New classes to take or to teach. That is when it all starts for me.

I’m now very happy to discover that the Orthodox Church had the same idea centuries ago. September 1 is the beginning of the Eastern Church’s year too.

Of course they gave it a fancy name: “The Beginning of the Induction” is one of those Orthodox words for which one needs a secret decoder ring.

By a happy turn of Providence, on the same day the Orthodox also celebrate the life of St. Simeon Stylites (c. 388 – 459).

Okay, Simeon also needs a bit of explanation.

He was born in the 4th century, when becoming a monk was as hip as carrying a new iPhone. (I’m not kidding. Fasting and poverty in the desert or a monastery was huge.)

Simeon was extremely keen on this. His fasting and other ascetic practices were so strict that his monastery politely suggested he leave.

He got creative about it. First he moved into an old dry well. Then for a while he lived in a cave. But it seems that withdrawing from the world wasn’t exactly what Simeon wanted.

He thought up a completely new way to be a monk: he built a sort of pillar six or eight feet tall, with a little hut on top of it, and he moved in.

Over time he built it up taller and taller. Eventually it was somewhere between fifty and eighty feet tall.

He lived up there for thirty-seven years.

Thirty-seven years on top of a pillar.

I kid you not.

I’ve taught about him for long enough to have a pretty good sense of what you are thinking.

What kind of whackdoodle Christianity is it to live on top of a pillar for well over three decades?

You are probably thinking

How could that possibly express the love of God? Shouldn’t he have been loving his neighbor?

I hope that the fact that the Church considers him a saint will at least prompt you to ask

What was he doing up there all that time?

Thirty-seven years of devotion to Jesus

It was, you might say, a simple lifestyle:

  • Praying.
  • Fasting.
  • Serving.

Fasting and praying may not surprise you—though you would be surprised if I told you how much of either that he did.

What might be surprising is that he spent his time serving and loving people.

How, you might ask, could he serve anybody on top of that pillar?

Well, he made himself a bit of a public attraction. People were curious. They came by. They asked questions.

Every afternoon he came out to talk with people. Huge numbers of people. Every single day.

He counseled and advised.

He helped people settle their disputes and heal broken relationships.

Pagans were so impressed with his life that they were converted to Christianity.

This guy on the pillar was no joke. Emperors listened to his advice.

I’d say that all his time invested in prayer was a life well invested. God answered. God used Simeon.

In our culture Christians want to blend in. We say we don’t want to offend people with our faith, but sometimes we just are afraid of looking different.

Here’s the thing: St. Simeion Stylites would do anything for Jesus.

If  a life devoted to prayer and serving others means looking different, then just be different.

Meanwhile I think I won’t criticize St. Simeon Stylites until heads of state want my counsel. Or until my witness to Christ converts some pagans. Or both. For several decades.

————

I’d love to hear from you in the comments! What’s the wildest thing you’ve done, or seen, to bear witness to Christ?

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Filed Under: Church Year, Saints Tagged With: Anything for Jesus, Simeon Stylites, St. Simeon the Stylite

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Comments

  1. Fr. Dustin says

    September 1, 2015 at 1:15 PM

    In fact, St. Symeon’s column is exists!

    They eventually built a church around it. You can see what’s left here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simeon_Stylites#/media/File:Column_of_Simeon_Syria.jpg

    Reply
    • Gary Neal Hansen says

      September 2, 2015 at 4:01 PM

      Very cool. Thanks for sharing this.

      Do you know who put the rock on it?

      Reply
      • Fr. Dustin says

        September 3, 2015 at 8:28 AM

        Unfortunately, I do not know.

        I do know that UNESCO has declared it a World Heritage Sight (a part of “Ancient Villages of Northern Syria”).

        Unfortunately, it has gone in and out of control of some of the terrorists groups in the area.

        Reply
  2. Fr. Dustin says

    January 5, 2016 at 8:54 AM

    Someone said today is his feast in the western church! Blessed feast day!

    Reply
    • Gary Neal Hansen says

      January 5, 2016 at 11:04 AM

      Hey, thanks Fr. Dustin! I appreciate the reminder…

      Reply
  3. Laurie Berry says

    January 5, 2016 at 10:36 AM

    I love the stories of those who have gone before and whose lives continue to inspire. What a great story to share with adults and children alike.

    Reply
    • Gary Neal Hansen says

      January 5, 2016 at 11:05 AM

      Thanks so much, Laurie. Great to hear from you — twice in a week!

      Reply

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Theology. It’s good for you.

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