Said to be a son of Clopas and a relative of the Lord, he succeeded James as leader of the Church in Jerusalem. At a very great age he was tortured and crucified under Emperor Trajan.
Life
Saint Simeon of Jerusalem was a bishop who led the Church of Jerusalem in the earliest times. According to the Church historian Eusebius, quoting the second-century writer Hegesippus, he was the son of Clopas and a relative of the Lord, and after the martyrdom of James he was chosen as the second bishop of Jerusalem.
Little is known for certain about his life. Tradition says that around the time Jerusalem was destroyed he led the faithful to safety across the Jordan and later returned. He is said to have been tortured and crucified at a very great age under Emperor Trajan.
Spirituality
Simeon's spirituality is a faithfulness sustained unchanged over long years. A member of the Lord's family and of the first generation of believers, he kept the community together through the turmoil of Jerusalem's destruction and persecution. His martyrdom in old age shows a lifelong faith that never wavered to the end.
Reflection
Through a long life in unstable times, Simeon held the community together. So that you never let go of faith, even with age or hardship, what habit are you keeping up today?