Saint Simeon, stylite of Syria

Saint Simeon, stylite of Syria, was a pioneering Christian ascetic who lived for 37 years on a small platform atop a pillar near Aleppo. He chose this radical way of life to devote himself to prayer, penance, and spiritual guidance. Crowds would visit him seeking his counsel and intercession. His extreme austerity inspired the stylite movement and earned him lasting veneration in both Eastern and Western Christianity.