HOLEB, Syria — The pillar of St. Simeon the Stylite was returned to its original location at the Monastery of St. Simeon on Mount Simeon, northwest of Holeb (Aleppo), Syria, on Tuesday, 16 centuries after it was erected. The restoration followed acts of vandalism at the site, as well as damage caused by the earthquake.I had no idea Simeon's pillar (or at least its base) was still around. It's been through a lot: tourists chipping off souviners, that earthquake, and even some bombing. But it's still there and now refurbished at its original site.[...]
Cross-file under Syriac Watch (my excuse for posting on it, plus it's cool), because the longest biography of Simeon within living memory of him was written in Syriac. That said, Christian mystical stylite saints who talked to angels have come up before at PaleoJudaica.
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