The Life of Symeon of the Wondrous Mountain

Background and Biography

Background and Biography

Excerpts

In this excerpt, Saint Symeon's vision of an earthquake is discussed.

English from Guidoboni et al (1994)

• from Guidoboni et al (1994) citing Van der Ven (1962)

The next day, at about the tenth hour, the whole land was shaken by a terrible earthquake, of a kind unknown to past generations, and the towns and villages of the coast collapsed in ruins, in accordance with the vision of Symeon, and the mountains were uprooted and violently split open, and chasms opened up in the earth in various places. The sea receded for many hours, and ships broke up as they violently struck the land. However, the region to the north, from Laodicea to Antioch, remained standing, and only a few towers and church walls were damaged, but as St. Symeon had said, no buildings collapsed, and the area to the south from Tyre to Jerusalem was also preserved, just as Symeon had seen in his vision.

Chronology

Month and Year not provided but the time of day is specified - ~4 pm - the 10th hour. This is compatible with other accounts which describe a daytime earthquake.

Seismic Effects

• the whole land was shaken by a terrible earthquake,
• the towns and villages of the coast collapsed in ruins
• the mountains were uprooted and violently split open
• chasms opened up in the earth in various places
• The sea receded for many hours, and ships broke up as they violently struck the land
• the region to the north, from Laodicea to Antioch, remained standing, and only a few towers and church walls were damaged, but as St. Symeon had said, no buildings collapse
• the area to the south from Tyre to Jerusalem was also preserved

Locations

• towns and villages of the coast

Locations less affected

• to the north, from Laodicea to Antioch
• south from Tyre to Jerusalem

Online Versions and Further Reading

References

Notes

Ex eventu Prophecies