Simon was a humble shoemaker living near Cairo, Egypt during the reign of Muslim Caliph Al-Muizz Li-Deenillah. The Caliph was a passionate Muslim who loved to have different religious theologians debate in his presence. One day the Caliph’s finance minister Jacob Ibn-Killis asked Christian Patriarch Abraam (who was known as the pope of the Coptic church) to debate him. He hated Christianity and sought to prove that Christianity was a false religion. He also hated Christianity because one of his rivals in the government who was close with the Caliph was a Christian. He had converted from Judaism to Islam so that he could get a high position in the Caliph’s government. He hoped that by converting to the Caliph’s religion, he could win his favor so that he would promote him rather than his rival. Patriarch Abraam was the leader of the Egyptian Coptic church at the time. He brought Christian bishop Anba Sawirus Ibn Al-Muqaffaa with him. Al-Muqaffa was a renowned theologian who had written a book defending Christianity and another book answering Jewish objections to Christianity. In preparation for his side of the debate, finance minister Ibn-Killis asked a Jew named Moses to help him debate the Christians. Despite the fact that Ibn-Killis converted to Islam, he represented Judaism in the debate because he had not converted to Islam because he actually believed the religion, but instead converted because he wanted to get promoted in the government. The Caliph was excited to see this high-profile debate. On the day of the debate, he invited all four people to come into his palace and debate in his presence. The Caliph (who was the king over all of Egypt) acted as the moderator for the debate.
Saint Samaan the Tanner monastery explains what happened at the start of the debate:
“When the caliph was seated, together with the Jewish minister Ibn Killis and his friend Moses, he said to the Pope,
“Speak my reverent Pope, or otherwise grant your companions the permission to talk.”
So the Pope said to Sawirus the bishop of Ashmunin,
“Speak my son, and the divine wisdom grant you wisdom.”
Anba Sawirus said in spiritual prudence,
“It is not proper to address a Jew in the presence of the caliph.”
Moses, the minister’s companion, was enraged and said,
“You are insulting me in the hearing of the prince of the believers [the title of the caliph among Muslims], since you describe me as ignorant.”
Anba Sawirus asked him calmly,
“What if I furnish the proof for your ignorance, will you not be angry?”
The caliph interfered out of tolerance, and eloquently,
“There is no need to be angry in the discussion; freedom is vouchsafed for each of you so that you may express each his own opinion frankly and without embarrassment.”
Anba Sawirus said confidently,
“Well, it is not I that call you ignorant; it is rather a great prophet of yours, who had a special favor from God, who witnesses against you.”
Moses the Jew asked him,
“And who can this prophet be?”
Anba Sawirus answered immediately,
“It is Isaiah the prophet, who said about you, `The ox knows his master, the donkey, his owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.'” (Is 1:3)
The caliph burst out laughing , for he was impressed by Anba Sawirus’ prudence and skill of speech. Then the caliph asked Moses the Jew,
“Are these really the words of Isaiah?”
Moses said, with pent-up anger,
“Yes, sire.”
And Anba Sawirus continued talking,
“Behold a great prophet of yours has announced that the animals have more understanding that you do.”
The caliph was still under the intoxicating effect of the brilliance of this joke, and decided to end the session, having heard enough for the day.”
Feeling humiliated, Ibn-Killis and Moses were determined to get revenge in the debate the next day. They met together and devised a plan that would make Abraam and Sawirus Al-Muquaffa look silly. Right before the debate, they told the Caliph about Matthew 17:20 which says, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to the mountain, move from here to there, and it will move, nothing will be impossible for you.” They said that if Christianity were true, the Abraam and Sawirus Al-Muqaffa should be able to move Mokattam mountain in the east of the city. The Caliph thought about this carefully. He finally decided that Ibn-Killis and Moses were right. If Christianity were true, then Abraam and Sawirus Al-Muqaffa should be able to move Mokattam mountain. The Caliph thought about how he wanted the eastern part of the mountain to be stretched even further east so that his city could look better. Nevertheless, he obviously did not expect the mountain to move. The Caliph then told Patriarch Abraam to come to him. He told him about his conversation with Ibn-Killis and Moses. He gave Patriarch Abraam four options: 1) To move the eastern part of Mokattam mountain.
2) To convert to Islam and tell everyone else in the kingdom to do the same. 3)To leave Egypt. 4) To be killed by the sword.
Patriarch Abraam did not know what to do when he heard this. It was clearly something that he was not expecting. So he asked the Caliph for three days to decide what to do. Next, he asked all the Christians in Egypt to fast and fervently pray for three days. Patriarch Abraam, some bishops, and some priests went to the church of Saint Mary and stayed there for three days.
On the morning of the third day, Patriarch Abraam was given a vision from God in which he was informed that he would see a one-eyed man carrying a jar of water and that it would be by him that the miracle would happen. So early in the morning Patriarch Abraam left the church for the first time in three days and sure enough he saw a one-eyed man carrying a jar of water. The man’s name was Simon. Abraam told him all that had happened in the last three days and asked Simon for help. When Abraam had finished, Simon said “Forgive me, my father, for I am a sinful man.” He eventually agreed to help Abraam as best as he could. Abraam asked him why he was outside at such an early hour. Simon explained that he woke up early every morning to get water for the elderly and the sick who had trouble carrying jars of water. He would also take bread and water to some of the hermits living in town. Then he went to work at the shoemaking shop until evening. After he was done working, he went to eat just a little so that he could keep himself alive. This shows that he lived an ascetic life. He denied himself the pleasures of this life so that he could know Christ more deeply. He was very poor and could not afford very much. He did not wear any expensive clothes. After Simon was done eating, he would pray for the rest of the evening often late into the night.
He was clearly a very pious man. One day when he was fitting a woman with shoes, he saw her leg. He was immediately filled with lust for her. He immediately took up his awl and plucked out one of his eyes. He remembered the words of Jesus: “And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire (Mt 18:9).” Simon was a man who took the scriptures literally unlike most Christians today. Simon’s literal interpretation of Scripture proved to be a useful asset on the day that he believed that God could move a mountain. Simon was also willing to endure excruciating pain for the glory of God. He took the words of Christ very seriously. Today in America most of us in the Christian community hear the word of God and read the Word of God frequently. But imagine if we lived the Word of God just as Simon did. Nothing would be impossible for us. From scripture, Simon understood that lust was a deadly sin. Today there seems to be more lust than ever before partly due to the invention of electronic technology and the rise of pornography on these devices. Most people today foolishly think that this is not a big deal, but many people in the ancient world took lust very seriously. It is important that we mention the weakness of the saints in addition to their great accomplishments so that we can be encouraged to overcome our sins and follow Christ no matter what it costs us.
After agreeing to help Abraam, Simon said, “My honorable father, go up the mountain and take along with you the religious leaders, the deacons, and the archdeacons, and make them carry on high the Bibles, the crosses, and the long candles, these being lit, and the censers full of incense. And ask the king and his retinue to go up with you… So, you shall stand on one side of the mountain, while they stand on the side opposite you. As for me, I will stand among the people behind your felicity, so that no one would recognize me. Then after administering the holy sacraments, you raise up your voice with all of the people, repeating, “Kyrie Eleison” (have mercy, Lord) four hundred times.” The priest thanked God for allowing him to meet Simon the shoemaker and showing him what to do through him.
Patriarch Abraam told the Caliph that he was ready to move the mountain. So the Caliph and many of his men went out to Mokattam mountain to meet Abraam, Simon, and many other Christians there. Both groups stood opposite of each other just as Simon had instructed. Upon reaching the mountain, the Christians prayed the Kyrie Eleison prayer (“Have mercy, Lord”) 400 times. They prayed it 100 times in each cardinal direction. Patriarch Abraam drew the sign of the cross. Suddenly there was an earthquake. The mountain was thrust upward. The Christians stood up to worship three times. Each time they stood up; the mountain was thrust upward. When the Caliph saw the miracle, he became very fearful and said, “God is great, may His name be blessed.” Then he asked Abraam to stop worshipping because he was worried that the earthquake would damage the city. After the earthquake subsided, the caliph turned to Patriarch Abraam and said, “You have proven that your faith is a true one.”
Then he asked Abraam what he could do for him and the other Christians in Egypt. Abraam responded, “The only thing I ask is that the Lord may lengthen your span of life, and give you victory over your enemies.” But the Caliph insisted that he help the Christian church in some way. So Abraam said that he wanted the church of Saint Makorios Abu Sifein rebuilt and the walls of the suspended church repaired. Then the Caliph ordered the clerk in his office to make a decree saying that the Caliph would be required to fulfill all of Patriarch Abraam’s requests by law. The Caliph also offered Abraam a great deal of money, but Abraam refused to take it. “He whose Church we are building does not need the money of this world and is capable of helping us until we finish the job,” he said. Most Christian leaders today would have gladly taken the money as they believe that having money is necessary to a successful ministry, but Abraam wisely reasoned that the Creator of the entire earth does not need money to accomplish His will. The Caliph converted to Christianity and abdicated his throne shortly after the miracle. He was baptized in a Coptic church. Simon the shoemaker had fled the scene after the miracle because he did not want to receive praise from people. He remained humble until the very end of his life.
In the coming days, many churches in Egypt were rebuilt or restored. The church in Egypt was said to feel great peace in the days after the miracle. Patriarch Abraam decided to add three days to the Christmas fast so that the church would never forget this miracle. Coptic Christians in Egypt observe this fast to this day. In 1974, a monastery was built on Mokattam mountain in honor of Simon the shoemaker. Today faithful Christians visit the monastery remembering Simon for his extraordinary faith and humility.
Jesus is Coming Soon! 