This beautiful church was built in honor of St. Simeon the Stylite who lived here atop a column for 37 years. This church became famous and was visited by pilgrims from all around the area.St. Simeon was born in a village in the Amanus Mountains. I beleive he lived on top of a 18 meter tall column, which was nearly 2 meters in diameter, to get closer to God, for 37 years. People from all around came to visit him and hear him preach twice a day. This column is still there in the form of a 2 meter high boulder in the center of the courtyard.
St Simeon's death did not stop the visitors who went on to become pilgrims and the Martyrion was built in his honor (although his body was taken by a few Byzantine soldiers to Antioch and later to Constantinople).
1 comment:
Lovely pictures..by the way how much do you travel? I envy you..I wish I could go to all the places that you write about...
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