Symeon of Trier
Encyclopedia
Saint Symeon of Trier also Simeon, , was a monk and recluse (d. 1035). He is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church with his feast day on May 1
.
in Jerusalem. Afterwards, for seven years, he became a pilgrim-guide, leading pilgrims to the holy places, before tiring of this life and preferring instead to live as a recluse
. Having heard of a holy recluse who lived in a tower on the bank of the Jordan River, he went to work as his servant, living in the lower room while learning from his new master how to practise the life of a recluse. Forced to depart, he realised after reading and re-reading the Lives of the Fathers (Vitas patrum), that in order to become a recluse he should train for a time in a monastery. So he became a monk at St Mary's in Bethlehem, where he served as a deacon for two years, before relocating to another monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai
.
After serving the brethren for some years there, he gained the abbot's permission to depart to live as a hermit
, settling alone in a small cave on the shore of the Red Sea
. A monk from the monastery brought him bread every Sunday, but after two years, being disturbed by passing sailors and seeing how worn out the monk who brought his food had become, he decided to return to the monastery. On the orders of his abbot he then restored a ruined monastery on the peak of Mount Sinai
, but upon his return he still conceived a desire to live as a hermit, so he absconded and found a spot in the desert. The abbot soon discovered him, called him back and sent him on a mission to gather alms in the land of Richard II, Duke of Normandy
(d. 1026). Symeon duly set out, but while travelling down the Nile
his boat was attacked by pirates, who butchered the crew. Symeon barely escaped with his life, diving into the water. When he swam ashore he had no idea whether the people in the little village he reached were Christian or not, because he was unable to communicate with them in any of the languages he spoke (namely Coptic, Syrian, Arabic, Greek and Latin).
Eventually he made his way to Antioch
, where he encountered the Abbot Richard of Verdun
with a very large crowd of pilgrims en route to Jerusalem, in 1026. Symeon adopted Richard as his new abbot, joining his pilgrimage, but when they reached Belgrade
the Hungarian officials barred them from going any further, so they returned via Rome
to France. Symeon at last now came to Rouen
, but when he arrived he found that Richard II, Duke of Normandy
was already dead. In the meantime Poppo, Archbishop of Trier
(1016-47) was planning a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and, hearing of Symeon, invited him to accompany him. They set out and returned in the years 1028-30, after which Symeon asked Poppo if he could live as a recluse in the great Roman gate, the Porta Nigra
, in Trier
. Poppo agreed and conducted a ceremony before all the clergy and people in which Symeon was enclosed in a cell, high in the gate tower.
Shortly after he was enclosed, 'dead and buried to the world' for his love of God, a great flood ravaged the city and country round about. The people now thought that Symeon was a sorcerer whose devilry had caused the flood, so they pelted his cell with stones, breaking the window. Even so, Symeon persisted with his prayers and fasts, allegedly beating off demonic attacks, eating a sparse diet of bread, water and beans, and praying upright with his arms outstretched, lest in lying down he fall asleep. He died on 1st June 1035, and was buried in his cell, just as he had insisted. Within a month miracles were being reported at his tomb, and a ladder was set up so that sick and needy pilgrims could climb up to his shrine. Abbot Eberwin of St Martin's monastery in Trier, who had known Symeon, wrote an account of his life and early miracles in the very same year (1035) - as Maurice Coens has shown. Archbishop Poppo swiftly sent this to Pope Benedict IX
, who responded with an official bull of canonization. Poppo then founded a collegiate church by the site of Symeon's tomb. When Poppo died in 1047, he was buried there. Many more miracles were recorded subsequently, and the fame of St Symeon spread far and wide.
May 1 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Apr. 30 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - May 2.All fixed commemorations below celebrated on May 14 by Old Calendarists.-Saints:* Prophet Jeremiah Apr. 30 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - May 2.All fixed commemorations below celebrated on May 14 by Old Calendarists.-Saints:* Prophet Jeremiah...
.
Life
He was born in the late tenth century at Syracuse, Sicily to a Greek father and a Calabrian mother. His father, who was a soldier, took him to Constantinople when he was seven years old to learn to read and write, but Symeon later decided to lead a life of religion, so he set out on a pilgrimage to the Church of the Holy SepulchreChurch of the Holy Sepulchre
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also called the Church of the Resurrection by Eastern Christians, is a church within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. It is a few steps away from the Muristan....
in Jerusalem. Afterwards, for seven years, he became a pilgrim-guide, leading pilgrims to the holy places, before tiring of this life and preferring instead to live as a recluse
Recluse
A recluse is a person who lives in voluntary seclusion from the public and society, often close to nature. The word is from the Latin recludere, which means "shut up" or "sequester." There are many potential reasons for becoming a recluse: a personal philosophy that rejects consumer society; a...
. Having heard of a holy recluse who lived in a tower on the bank of the Jordan River, he went to work as his servant, living in the lower room while learning from his new master how to practise the life of a recluse. Forced to depart, he realised after reading and re-reading the Lives of the Fathers (Vitas patrum), that in order to become a recluse he should train for a time in a monastery. So he became a monk at St Mary's in Bethlehem, where he served as a deacon for two years, before relocating to another monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai , also known as Mount Horeb, Mount Musa, Gabal Musa , Jabal Musa meaning "Moses' Mountain", is a mountain near Saint Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. A mountain called Mount Sinai is mentioned many times in the Book of Exodus in the Torah and the Bible as well as the Quran...
.
After serving the brethren for some years there, he gained the abbot's permission to depart to live as a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
, settling alone in a small cave on the shore of the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
. A monk from the monastery brought him bread every Sunday, but after two years, being disturbed by passing sailors and seeing how worn out the monk who brought his food had become, he decided to return to the monastery. On the orders of his abbot he then restored a ruined monastery on the peak of Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai , also known as Mount Horeb, Mount Musa, Gabal Musa , Jabal Musa meaning "Moses' Mountain", is a mountain near Saint Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. A mountain called Mount Sinai is mentioned many times in the Book of Exodus in the Torah and the Bible as well as the Quran...
, but upon his return he still conceived a desire to live as a hermit, so he absconded and found a spot in the desert. The abbot soon discovered him, called him back and sent him on a mission to gather alms in the land of Richard II, Duke of Normandy
Richard II, Duke of Normandy
Richard II , called the Good , was the eldest son and heir of Richard I the Fearless and Gunnora.-Biography:...
(d. 1026). Symeon duly set out, but while travelling down the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
his boat was attacked by pirates, who butchered the crew. Symeon barely escaped with his life, diving into the water. When he swam ashore he had no idea whether the people in the little village he reached were Christian or not, because he was unable to communicate with them in any of the languages he spoke (namely Coptic, Syrian, Arabic, Greek and Latin).
Eventually he made his way to Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
, where he encountered the Abbot Richard of Verdun
Richard of Verdun
Richard of Verdun was the abbot of the influential northeastern French Monastery of St. Vanne from 1004 to 1046. Richard entered the monastery of St. Vanne as a young man, and upon his arrival he was shocked and dismayed by the relatively poor state of the monastery . So great were his feelings...
with a very large crowd of pilgrims en route to Jerusalem, in 1026. Symeon adopted Richard as his new abbot, joining his pilgrimage, but when they reached Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
the Hungarian officials barred them from going any further, so they returned via Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to France. Symeon at last now came to Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, but when he arrived he found that Richard II, Duke of Normandy
Richard II, Duke of Normandy
Richard II , called the Good , was the eldest son and heir of Richard I the Fearless and Gunnora.-Biography:...
was already dead. In the meantime Poppo, Archbishop of Trier
Poppo, Archbishop of Trier
Poppo von Babenberg was the Archbishop of Trier from 1016 to his death.Poppo was a son of Leopold I of Austria and Richeza. He was educated in Regensburg and appointed by the Emperor Henry II in 1007 to be the first provost of his new cathedral at Bamberg. When the Archbishop Megingod died in...
(1016-47) was planning a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and, hearing of Symeon, invited him to accompany him. They set out and returned in the years 1028-30, after which Symeon asked Poppo if he could live as a recluse in the great Roman gate, the Porta Nigra
Porta Nigra
The Porta Nigra is a large Roman city gate in Trier, Germany. It is today the largest Roman city gate north of the Alps and has been designated a World Heritage Site....
, in Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
. Poppo agreed and conducted a ceremony before all the clergy and people in which Symeon was enclosed in a cell, high in the gate tower.
Shortly after he was enclosed, 'dead and buried to the world' for his love of God, a great flood ravaged the city and country round about. The people now thought that Symeon was a sorcerer whose devilry had caused the flood, so they pelted his cell with stones, breaking the window. Even so, Symeon persisted with his prayers and fasts, allegedly beating off demonic attacks, eating a sparse diet of bread, water and beans, and praying upright with his arms outstretched, lest in lying down he fall asleep. He died on 1st June 1035, and was buried in his cell, just as he had insisted. Within a month miracles were being reported at his tomb, and a ladder was set up so that sick and needy pilgrims could climb up to his shrine. Abbot Eberwin of St Martin's monastery in Trier, who had known Symeon, wrote an account of his life and early miracles in the very same year (1035) - as Maurice Coens has shown. Archbishop Poppo swiftly sent this to Pope Benedict IX
Pope Benedict IX
Pope Benedict IX , born Theophylactus of Tusculum, was Pope on three occasions between 1032 and 1048. One of the youngest popes, he was the only man to have been Pope on more than one occasion and the only man ever to have sold the papacy.-Biography:Benedict was born in Rome as Theophylactus, the...
, who responded with an official bull of canonization. Poppo then founded a collegiate church by the site of Symeon's tomb. When Poppo died in 1047, he was buried there. Many more miracles were recorded subsequently, and the fame of St Symeon spread far and wide.
Sources
- Eberwin, ‘De sancto Symeone, recluso in porta Trevirensi’, Acta Sanctorum, Jun 1, cols 0089A-0101E.
- Maurice Coens, ‘Un document inédit sur le culte de S. Syméon, moine d’orient et reclus a Trèves’, Analecta Bollandiana 68 (1950), 181-96.