The Venerable Simeon and John

Life

Two young men who left home and kindred — Simeon his aged mother and John his young wife — received the monastic tonsure in the monastery of Saint Gerasimus from Abbot Nikon, and withdrew to the wilderness, where in the most severe ascetic struggles they spent many years. And by their many labors they mortified their bodies so that they were as two dry trees. One day Simeon said to John that by the command of God he must leave the wilderness and go among the people and there serve God. John gave him the following counsel: "Guard thy heart from everything thou shalt see in the world. Whatever thy hand may grasp, let not thy heart take hold of it. When thy mouth shall eat, let not thy heart take pleasure. When thy feet shall walk, let there be peace within thee. And whatever thou dost outwardly, let thy mind remain undisturbed. Pray to God for me, that God may not separate us one from the other in the life to come." Holy Simeon received the counsel of his companion, kissed him, and then left the wilderness and went among the people to teach them and convert them to the faith of Christ, feigning madness. He pretended to be a fool before people, but his heart was a temple of the Holy Spirit, and in that temple there was unceasing prayer. He possessed abundant grace from God, so that he perceived clearly all the secrets of people both near and far, and healed people of evil spirits and other ailments. Playing about the streets like a madman, he would approach people and whisper their sins in their ears, calling them to repentance. He even appeared to sinners in their sleep, reproaching them for their sins and calling them to repentance. Thus to a certain pagan actor named Balius, who publicly mocked the Christian holy things, Saint Simeon appeared in a dream, rebuked him, and threatened him, so that the actor repented and became a good Christian. A certain licentious young man had gone mad from fornication. Seeing him raving, Saint Simeon struck him on the cheek with his hand and said: "Commit not adultery!" At that moment the unclean demon departed from the youth, and the young man was restored to health.