We walked back down the hill and set off for the region’s most famous historical site, the shrine of St Simeon Stylites. The vast ruined church, the most ambitious structure on earth in the late fifth century, contains the stump of the pillar where St Simon spent the last 36 years of his life until his death in 459AD. He was said to eat once a week, frugally of course.
“The locals say he never spoke to a woman in his life, not even his mother,” Adnan explained.” Simon’s attempt to withdraw from the world up an 18m-tall pillar had one major effect. People flocked to see him. The church was abandoned in the 12th century and is now an atmospheric ruin where the wind moans in the pine trees and courting couples explore the further-flung ruins of the settlement.
From the Guardian; excerpts, edited by ELLOPOS BLOG
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