Born Syrian, from peasant parents. At the age of eighteen, he ran away from his parents and became a monk. He gave himself up to the most difficult feats, sometimes fasting for forty days. Then he surrendered to a special feat: namely, he stood on a pillar day and night, in unceasing prayer. His pillar was at first six cubits high, then they raised him one of twelve, then twenty-two, then thirty-six, and finally a pillar forty cubits high. His mother Martha came to see him twice, but he did not receive her, but said to her from the pillar: "Don't disturb me now, mother, if I honor myself we will see each other in the other world." Saint Simeon suffered countless attacks from demons, but all overcome them by praying to God. This saint performed great miracles and healed many sick people with words and prayers. People flocked around his pillar from all sides, rich and poor, kings and slaves. And he helped them all: to some by restoring bodily health, to some by giving consolation and instruction, and by exposing some for their heretical faith. This is how he turned Empress Eudokia away from the Eutychian heresy and brought her to Orthodoxy. Saint Simeon practiced asceticism during the emperors Theodosius the Younger, Marcian and Leo the Great. This first pillar of Christianity and a great miracle worker lived one hundred and three years and rested in the Lord on September 14, 459. His relics were transferred to Antioch, in the church dedicated to his name.