St. Simon was a bishop and martyr who followed Jesus, and may have even been related to him. Simon is not to be confused with Simon-Peter, the disciple who was entrusted by Jesus as leader of the new Church.

The Gospel of Matthew tells of Jesus going to his hometown of Nazareth and how people there were astonished at him because they knew him as the carpenter’s son. “Is not his mother Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are his sisters not all with us?” (Mt 13:55). These “siblings” of Jesus may have been cousins (there is no word for “cousin” in Aramaic, hence the designation as brother), or perhaps children of Joseph from a previous marriage.

Simon, in any case, was related to Jesus, and was older by about eight years. He was among the 72 followers of Jesus present at Jesus’ Ascension, and he was one of the followers present when the Spirit descended at Pentecost.

Simon’s brother, St. James the Lesser, was bishop of Jersualem before he was killed for his faith. The disciples unanimously appointed Simon as his successor.

When civil war broke out in Palestine in year 66, Romans destroyed the city. Simon led the Christians to live in a smaller city nearby, called Pella, until the Romans left. The community returned to Jerusalem to live among the ruins of the city, and the faith flourished there, thanks to Simon, and they converted many to follow Christ.

In the Roman persecution, Simon was arrested for being both Christian and of Jewish heritage, and was tortured and crucified. Tradition has it that he was very old—nearly 120—when he was martyred, but that he bore his sufferings with courage that won the admiration of the Roman governor overseeing the persecution.

St. Simon’s relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, and his image is used here with permission from Catholic.org.

St. Simon, you followed your cousin, Jesus, in life and death, pray for us!