Saint Simeon the Athonite (Myrovlitis)

Saint Simeon the Athonite (Stephen I Nemanja), also knows as Saint Simeon Myrovlitis (the one who gush myrrh) was born during the period of the Latin occupation in the Balkans, specifically in 1114 in Zeta, today's Montenegro. When his parents managed to return to Serbia, they made sure that their child was baptised in the Orthodox Church. They wanted to instill in him the love for the virtue and the true faith.

The Saint's father entrusted him with the governance of the province from a young age. Saint Simeon showed his brilliant administrative skills early on, while at the same time he deeply loved his people. He became the great ruler of Serbia (1166). Among other things, he was the founder of the Nemanja dynasty, which was meant to rule the Serbian people for two hundred years (1172-1371), providing the Serbian church with many saints.

With the help of his wife Anna, Saint Simeon built many churches and monasteries. He also made large donations to some of the most important shrines of Christianity.

After ensuring that the state system in his homeland was functioning and bearing fruit, the ruler Stephen I Nemanja followed the example of his son, Saint Sava, who later became Archbishop of Serbia. He took the monastic schema with the name Simeon in the monastery of Studenica (1196), while his wife entered the monastic life with the name Anastasia.

After only two years (November 1197), Saint Simeon arrived at the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos. There he began as a novice and disciple of his son. He even became an admirer of him, imitating his unprecedented love for prayer.

Both father and son contributed decisively to the organization and development of the Athonite community. They also founded a new monastery, the Holy Monastery of Hilandar, which today constitutes a great jewel of the Serbian Christian culture and Orthodoxy (1198).