St. Simon the Apostle
Posted on October 28, 2018 by admin No comments
Born: Judea
Died: 65 or 107 place of death disputed. Possibly Pella, Armenia; Suanir, Persia; Edessa; Caistor
Venerated: in Eastern Orthodox Churches Oriental Orthodoxy Catholic Church (Eastern & Roman) Anglicanism Lutheran Church
Major shrine: relics claimed by many places, including Toulouse; Saint Peter’s Basilica
Feast: October 28 (Western Christianity) May 10 (Byzantine Christianity) Pashons 15 (Coptic Christianity) ግንቦት 15 (Ethiopian Christianity) July 1 (medieval Hispanic liturgy as attested by sources of the time, such as the Antiphonary of León) Attributes boat; cross and saw; fish (or two fish); lance; man being sawn in two longitudinally; oar
Patronage: curriers; sawyers; tanners
Apostle. Called the Cananean or Zealot because of his zeal for the Jewish law; he was not from Cana, nor a member of the Zealot party. Like all the Apostles, he was a convert, and was trained by Saint Peter the Apostle. Evangelized in Egypt and Mesopotamia, though there are traditions of him being in several other locations. He was a martyr for the faith, but several places claim to have been the site of that, too.
Abyssinians claim he was crucified in Samaria, Lipsius says he was sawn in half at Suanir, Persia, Moses of Chorene writes that he was martyred at Weriosphora in Iberia• many locations claim to have relics including Toulouse, France, and Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Italy.
Prayer to Saint Simon the Apostle
O Glorious Saint Simon, you were a cousin of Jesus and a devoted follower as well. You were called “the Zealot,” indicating that you were willing to give your life for your religion and your freedom as a human person. Obtain for us the grace to be willing to give our lives for Christ and to labor for the freedom and peace that only God can give. Help us to spend ourselves for God on earth and be received by him in eternal bliss in heaven. Amen.
Prayer from the Liturgical Year, 1903
I have chosen you; and have appointed you, that you should go, and should bring forth fruit, and your fruit should remain (St. John, xv. 61). These words were addressed by the Man-God to you, as to all the twelve, as the Church reminded us in her Night Office (Homily of the 3rd Nocturn, ex Aug). And yet, what remains now of the fruit of your labours in Egypt, in Mesopotamia, in Persia? Can our Lord and his Church be mistaken in their words, or in their appreciations? Certainly not; and proof sufficient is, that, above the region of the senses, and beyond the domain of history, the power infused into the twelve subsists through all ages, and is active in every supernatural birth that developes the mystical Body of our Lord and increases the Church. We, more truly than Tobias, are the children of saints (Tob. ii. 18); we are no longer strangers, but the family of God, His house built upon the foundation of Apostles and Prophets, united by Jesus the chief corner-stone (Eph. ii. 19, 20). All thanks be to you, O holy Apostles, who in labour and sufferings procured us this blessing; maintain in us the title and the rights of this precious adoption.
Great evils surround us; is there any hope left to the world? The confidence of thy devout clients proclaims thee, O Jude, the patron of desperate cases; and for thee, O Simon, this is surely the time to prove thyself Zelotes, full of zeal. Deign, both of you, to hear the Church’s prayers; and aid her, with all your apostolic might, to re-animate faith, to rekindle charity, and to save the world. Amen
Novena to Saint Simon the Apostle
Day 1
St. Peter, you had such zeal to run to Jesus during your life on Earth, which is why I am confident that you will run to Him now with my intentions:
*insert special intention*
St. Peter, when Jesus told you and your brother to follow Him and become fishers of men, you dropped your nets at once and followed Him. Such was your zeal. Intercede on my behalf that I may follow Jesus promptly when He calls. Amen.
Day 2
St. Peter, you had such zeal to run to Jesus during your life on Earth, which is why I am confident that you will run to Him now with my intentions: *
insert special intention*
St. Peter, when Jesus asked who His disciples said that He was, you exclaimed that He was the Son of God, a bold proclamation of what was revealed to you by the Father. Such was your zeal. Intercede on my behalf that I may be bold in proclaiming the good news. Amen.
Day3
St. Peter, you had such zeal to run to Jesus during your life on Earth, which is why I am confident that you will run to Him now with my intentions:
*insert special intention*
St. Peter, when Jesus walked on water to the boat bearing the disciples during a terrible storm, you made a bold request that Jesus call to you to walk out to Him on the giant waves. Such was your zeal. Intercede on my behalf that I may yearn to walk on deeper waters, relying on Jesus alone. Amen.
Day4
St. Peter, you had such zeal to run to Jesus during your life on Earth, which is why I am confident that you will run to Him now with my intentions:
*insert special intention*
St. Peter, when Jesus went to wash your feet, you told Him that He would never wash your feet; you viewed Him as your Master and only servants wash feet. However, when He told you that you would have no inheritance with Him if He did not wash you, you asked that He wash all of you as well as your feet. Such was your zeal. Intercede on my behalf that I may not be embarrassed by the parts of me that are unclean but ask Jesus fervently to wash all of me clean. Amen.
Day5
St. Peter, you had such zeal to run to Jesus during your life on Earth, which is why I am confident that you will run to Him now with my intentions:
*insert special intention*
St. Peter, when Jesus was placed on trial, you three times denied knowing Him, but after His Resurrection, when you heard He was at the shore, you were so eager to see Him, even though He would surely have known how you hurt Him, that you leapt from your boat and swam to Him. Such was your zeal. Intercede on my behalf that I may run to Jesus for reconciliation, no matter how much I have hurt Him by my actions. Amen.
Day6
St. Peter, you had such zeal to run to Jesus during your life on Earth, which is why I am confident that you will run to Him now with my intentions:
*insert special intention*
St. Peter, when Jesus asked you if you loved Him with an “agape” (unconditional) love, knowing how you had denied Him, you responded that you loved Him with a “philia” (brotherly) love. Such was your humility. Intercede on my behalf that I may be honest with myself and with Jesus about how much I love Him, so that I may grow in love. Amen.
Day 7
St. Peter, you had such zeal to run to Jesus during your life on Earth, which is why I am confident that you will run to Him now with my intentions:
*insert special intention*
St. Peter, after the Holy Spirit descended on you at Pentecost, you went out to the streets to proclaim the Gospel even though you knew it would most likely lead to your imprisonment and death. Such was your zeal. Intercede on my behalf that I may have the courage to speak and to act in accordance with God’s will. Amen.
Day 8
St. Peter, you had such zeal to run to Jesus during your life on Earth, which is why I am confident that you will run to Him now with my intentions:
*insert special intention*
St. Peter, when you were imprisoned for preaching the Gospel, an angel led you out of the prison to the city gates. After your release, you continued preaching the Gospel. Such was your fortitude. Intercede on my behalf that I may be persistent in doing the work of God. Amen.
Day 9
St. Peter, you had such zeal to run to Jesus during your life on Earth, which is why I am confident that you will run to Him now with my intentions:
*insert special intention*
St. Peter, when you were martyred by crucifixion, you said that you were not fit to die the same death as your Master and asked to be crucified upside down. Such was your zeal. Intercede on my behalf that I may have a fraction of the zeal to pursue God you had during your life on Earth. Amen.
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