Sayings of Holy Abba Simon

Venerable Simon (Feast Day - June 25)

Verses

The vessel of the flesh of Simon is a shrine,
The dwelling place of his spirit is the heavens.

Sayings of Abba Simon

1. A magistrate came to see Abba Simon one day. When he heard of it, he put on his apron and went out to attend to a palm-tree. When the visitors arrived they called out to him, ‘Old man, where is the anchorite?’ He replied, ‘There is no anchorite here.’ Hearing these words, they went away again.

2. Another time, another magistrate came to visit him. The clergy went on ahead and said to the old man, ‘Abba, get ready, for this magistrate has heard of you and is coming for your blessing.’ So he said, ‘Yes, I will prepare myself.’ Then he put on a rough habit and taking some bread and cheese in his hands he went and sat in the doorway to eat it. When the magistrate arrived with his suite and saw him, he despised him and said, ‘Is this the anchorite of whom we have heard so much?’ and they went away at once.

From the Sayings of Abba Poemen

137. Abba Poemen said that a brother asked Abba Simon, 'If I come out of my cell and find my brother amusing himself, I amuse myself with him and if I find him in the act of laughing, I laugh with him. Then when I return to my cell, I am no longer at peace.' The old man said to him, 'So, when you come out of your cell and find people laughing or talking you want to laugh and talk with them, and when you return to your cell, you expect to find yourself as you were before?' The brother said, 'What should I do?' The old man replied, 'Be watchful inwardly; be watchful outwardly.'