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A Terracotta Pilgrim’s Token from the Citadel of Sama’an in Syria

By Hadrian Mâr Élijah Bar Israël

http://www.marelijah.org

Saint Simeon Stylites (386-459 AD) spent forty-two

years atop a pillar (i.e. a ‘style’) out where everyone

could see him, at Sama'an, which was in his time a

small village located on Lylon Mountain

approximately 20 km south-west of Afrin, and forty kilometers north-west of Aleppo, Syria. He ate, slept,

defecated, and did everything else in open air. When

once he was asked why he was not ashamed he

famously responded, “shame is a delusion, since we

are never alone, but always with God.”

He spent most of each day standing atop his pillar, with

his arms outstretched in a mode of worshipful faith and

devotion to God. His ascetism made him famous

around the world, and thousands of people joined

him, congregated at the base of his pillar, and listening

to his wisdom and unceasing prayers.

The word “Sama’an” means “Simeon” in Arabic, and

marks the place of the basilica which began to be

built where the pillar of Saint Simeon once stood,

even incorporating parts of the pillar itself into the

Altar. After the Islamic Conquest the entire complex

was converted into a military citadel.

This ceramic pilgrim’s token comes from the 5th

Century, during which time the Byzantine Empire was

still fiercely persecuting and murdering Monophysite

Christians. Possessing this token of the Empire was

not only a spiritual blessing and souvenir for the

pilgrim, but also a ‘get-home-free’ pass to prove one’s

Orthodoxy should one find oneself detained by

imperial troops.

Terracotta pilgrim’s token (5th century

AD) from the Monastery of Saint Simeon

Stylites at the Citadel of Sama'an, now in

the National Museum of Damascus, Syria .

This small black ceramic token

shows an image of Saint Simeon

Stylites meditating on his pillar,

wearing the traditional robe of

the Syrian ascetics. The ladder

leaning against the column,

serves as his connection to the

Earth and to his disciples. A

deacon on the ground below

him holds up a crown, and to the

right of the pillar there is an

incense burner, like the one

found at the basilica. The angels hold up crowns,

representing martyrdom, an

important symbol of this

transitional age, whereby

physical death was replaced by

mortification of the flesh in the

minds of the faithful.