Our Venerable Father Symeon, Abbot of Gareji, Seer and Wonderworker (+1773)

The Venerable Symeon of Gareji was born around 1700 in Kakheti. It is known that from his youth he laboured in the monastery of Gareji. The all-honourable man of God was a simple monk until old age, and then he was elected abbot of the monastery.

The holy father, distinguished by virtue and humility, had been granted by God the gift of working miracles.

Once the Venerable Symeon fell ill and died. For more than an hour he lay lifeless, and then, by God’s providence, he rose up, distributed with his own hands everything he had to the fathers of the monastery and, poor as he already was, renounced the needs of this world entirely.

When Father Serapion (commemorated 24 August) heard of this, he came with the help of others and saw the abbot Symeon, and, enlightened by the grace of foresight, said to him with consoling tears: “O beloved father, give me your holy hands, that I may kiss them; for I desired to be committed to the earth by your holy hands, I, worthless dust; but now you are going before me into eternal life. You will go, father, but I too shall not stay here without you: my soul will soon follow yours.” So, with tears of consolation, the blessed fathers kissed one another for the last time. Within a week Symeon set the affairs of the monastery in good order, and on 4 (17) September 1773, exactly on the anniversary of the day when he had lain lifeless for an hour, he reposed in peace — he gave up his holy soul to the Lord. He is buried at Gareji.