Saint Symeon Stylites of Lesbos

Saint Symeon Stylites of Lesbos (765/766-844) was a monk who survived two attempts on his life during the second period of Byzantine Iconoclasm (814–842). He followed a similar model to Simeon Stylites, residing on a pillar-like structure similar to a tower. There he isolated himself from the world and fasted, prayed and studied. He is venerated with his two brothers, Saint George the Archbishop of Mytilene and Saint David the Monk.

In the beginning of the eighth century in Mytilene lived Adrianos and Konstanto. They had seven children, of which five became monks; three of the children were David, George and Symeon. David, the eldest, was born around 717 or 718 AD; he learned how to read and write by 16 and he was the shepherd of his father's sheep. During the time of a huge storm he saw a dream and Saint Anthony appeared to him and instructed him to travel to a monastery in Asia Minor, at Mount Ida. Exhibiting discipline at the mountain, he lived inside of a cave and ate wild greens. He lived there for 30 years. In another dream he was instructed to go to the Bishop of Gargara to be ordained a deacon and later an Elder Priest. He later returned to the monastery in Mount Ida. He saw another dream and was instructed by an angel to build the church Saint Kirikou and Ioulittis and a monastery where many monks gathered.

After ten years his mother arrived to inform him that his father had died. She was with his youngest brother Symeon who was 8 years old. He was born either in 765 or 766 AD. Symeon lived with his brother; his mother returned to Mytilene and after a short time died. Symeon learned how to read and write living at his brother's monastery. Symeon at age 22 also became a monk at the monastery; by age 28 he was ordained. David saw a vision of his death in a dream and informed his younger brother to go back to Mytilene. Two years later David died at the age of 66. Symeon composed himself and on the command of his brother returned to Mytilene. He went to the church of Panagia which was at the north harbor of the island maybe Apano Skala. There he followed a similar model to Simeon Stylites. He climbed up a pillar like structure similar to a tower. The term Stylite is Greek it comes from the word στυλί which means poll or column. There he isolated himself, fasted, worshiped and studied.

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