Simon the Athonite

Simon the Athonite (died 1287) was a Greek Orthodox monk of the 13th century, later sanctified by the Eastern Orthodox Church as Saint Simon the Myroblyte.

Simonopetra today

His feast day is 28 December.[1]

The hagiography tells that Simon was a hermit living in a cave on Mount Athos near the rock now known as Simonopetra, or Simon's Rock. In a dream, the Theotokos called on him to build a monastery on the rock, promising to protect it and to look after him and the monastery. Another version is that one night he saw a star so bright that he identified it with the Star of Bethlehem. Watching it over several nights, he saw it stay motionless, at first thinking it was a demonic temptation, but on Christmas Eve the star stood over a high rock and a voice said "Here, Simon, you must lay the foundations of your monastery for the salvation of souls." So he built the monastery and gave it the name of New Bethlehem (Greek: Νέα Βηθλεέμ).[2] It remains dedicated to the Nativity of Jesus.

Simon died, or reposed, in 1287, and was later glorified by many miracles, leading to his beatification. His holy relics are reported to exude myrrh, giving him the alternative names of Myrrhbearer or Myrrhgusher.[2]

The date of foundation claimed by his monastery is 1267.[3]

Simon's date of birth is uncertain, but he has been described as being of the second half of the thirteenth century,[4] and the monastery's records state that he died in 1287. However, the British Museum adventurously suggests his life as c. 1200 to c. 1300.[5]

Notes
  1. Great Synaxaristes: (in Greek): Ὁ Ὅσιος Σίμων ὁ Μυροβλήτης κτήτορας τῆς Ι. Μονῆς Σιμωνόπετρας, Ημ. Εορτής: 28 Δεκεμβρίου.
  2. Venerable Simon the Myrrh-gusher of Mt Athos at oca.org, accessed 31 October 2017
  3. Josep Maria Mallarach i Carrera, Protected Landscapes and Cultural and Spiritual Values (2008), p. 55
  4. Claire Nesbitt, Mark Jackson, eds., Experiencing Byzantium: Papers from the 44th Spring Symposium of Byzantine Studies, Newcastle and Durham, 2011 (Routledge, 2011), p. 116
  5. Simon the Athonite at britishmuseum.org, accessed 31 October 2017
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