Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Remains of the 15 metre column of St Simeon.
skeleton from the forehead to the feet; and a curious spectator, after numbering twelve hun-
dred and forty- four repetitions, at length desisted from the endless account. The progress
of an ulcer in his thigh might shorten, but it could not disturb, this celestial life; and the
patient Hermit expired, without descending from his column.
Even on the highest of his columns, Simeon was not withdrawn from the world. If any-
thing, the new pillar drew even more people, not only the pilgrims who had come earlier
but now sightseers as well. Simeon made himself available to these visitors every after-
noon. By means of a ladder, visitors were able to ascend, and it is known that he wrote
letters, the text of some of which survived to this day, that he instructed disciples, and that
he also delivered addresses to those assembled beneath, preaching especially against pro-
fanity and usury.
After spending 37 years on his pillar, Simeon died on 2 September 459. He inspired
many imitators, and, for the next century, ascetics living on pillars, were a common sight
throughout the region.
William Dalrymple in his book
From the Holy Mountain
described a visit to this site, but
his description suggested that it was rarely visited and it lay at the end of a winding track.
He would have been at the locations in the early 1990's, with his book being published in
1996. It was certainly different when we visited in 2008. It was clearly on the 'must visit'
list of many and I suspect one of the reasons was his book.
We experienced our first spatter of rain for the trip. It lasted only a matter of minutes and
the sun continued to beat down as we returned to Aleppo through an area that comprised
the Governor's residence and a number of quite large and sumptuous houses. One in par-
ticular featured two large cupped hands with the word Allah in between. The owner was
thanking Allah for all that he had, although I was surprised at the image of the hands given
the Islamic restriction on the depiction of living things.
