Simeon of Jerusalem, or Simon of Clopas, was a Jewish Christian leader, and according to most Christian traditions, was the second Bishop of Jerusalem (63 or 70–107 or 117), succeeding James, brother of Jesus. He is described as one of our Jesus’ brethren or kinsmen. Simeon’s father was Cleophas, St. Joseph’s brother, and his mother, according to some writers, was Mother Mary’s sister.
Simeon is one of those who are mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as having received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. St. Epiphanius says that when the Jews massacred St. James the Lesser, his brother, Simeon condemned them for their cruelty.
Later the apostles and disciples met together to appoint a successor to James as bishop of Jerusalem, and they unanimously chose Simeon, who had probably assisted his brother in the government of that church. In 66, civil war broke out in Palestine, as a consequence of Jewish opposition to the Romans. The Christians in Jerusalem were forewarned of the impending destruction of the city and appeared to have been divinely ordered to leave it. In that same year, before Vespasian entered Judaea, they retired with St. Simeon at their head to the other side of the Jordan, occupying a small city called Pella. Following the capture and burning of Jerusalem, the Christians returned and settled among the ruins until the Emperor Hadrian entirely razed it.
According to St. Epiphanius, and Eusebius of Caesarea, the church there flourished greatly, and many Jews were converted by the miracles wrought by the saints. When Vespasian and Domitian ordered the destruction of all who were of the race of David, Simeon was able to escape their search; but when Trajan gave a similar injunction, Simeon was denounced as being not only one of David’s descendants, but also a Christian, and was brought before Atticus, the Roman governor. He was then condemned to death, and after being tortured, was crucified. Although Simeon was extremely old – tradition reports him to have attained the age of 120 – he endured his sufferings with a degree of fortitude which roused the admiration of Atticus himself. His feast day is celebrated annually on February 18.
St. Simeon has also been identified with the Apostle Simon the Zealot.
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