Images Views of the site of Saint Simeon

Saint Simeon was born in Sisan, in northern Syria, in 388 A.D. He was a shepherd and entered a monastery before the age of 16. He commenced a severe regimen of fasting for Lent and even if the head of the monastery left him water and loaves to eat, he didn’t touch them. He was discovered unconscious some days later. He was used to these strict ascetical practices and was withdrawn from the monastery. He then decided to live at the outskirts of a village lashed to a chain, but, since too many people came to visit him, he looked for more isolated places.