Simeon of Tver

Saint Simeon, hierarch (died 3 February 1289), was the first bishop of Tver, earlier bishop of Polotsk. He is commemorated on 3 February (Old Style), and also in the Synaxis of the Saints of Belarus and in that of the Saints of Tver. The Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church canonized him for veneration in the whole Church on 3 February 2016.

Life

According to some sources he was of the family of the princes of Polotsk. Until 1271 he was bishop of Polotsk. The unrest and quarrels of the Lithuanian princes and the murder, in 1263, of the prince of Polotsk, his nephew, forced him to move to Tver, which belonged to the same diocese. He was received with joy by Prince Yaroslav Yaroslavich, who gave Bishop Simeon's see many estates and benefits. When Prince Yaroslav died, Simeon buried him with honour. The Nikon Chronicle says that this saint was "very wise and strong in the books of the Holy Scripture, a teacher, virtuous, merciful to the poor, orphans and widows, defended the wronged and freed the oppressed".

He rebuked the powerful of the world without fear, when it was needed: "Comfort the sorrowing, deliver the weak from the hands of the strong. You give and help those who already have much gold and silver, and not those who have not a penny. You are like a rain cloud that pours water over the sea, not over the thirsty earth. The rich wrong the weak, and they come to you as to good defenders; but you give the poor into bondage, and the rich you encourage and endow generously." He put much labour into the building of churches, especially after two fires at Tver; among others he built the Saviour cathedral, in which he was also buried. The "Instruction of Bishop Simeon of Tver" to Prince Constantine of Polotsk is known, contained in the "Just Measure" of the fifteenth century. Prince Constantine, wishing to laugh at his tiun (judge), asked the saint at table: "Where will the tiuns be in the other world?" Simeon answered: "The tiun will be where the prince will be." The prince did not like it and said: "The tiun judges unjustly, takes bribes, torments people, and what evil do I do?" The hierarch explained: "If the prince is good and God-⁠fearing, has mercy on people, loves justice and appoints as tiun a good and God-⁠fearing man, wise and a lover of truth, then the prince will be in paradise and the tiun with him; but if the prince is without fear of God, does not have mercy on Christians, does not think of orphans and widows and appoints a wicked, imprudent chief, only so that he brings him money, then the prince will be in hell, and the tiun with him." He reposed on 3 February 1289.