Simon the Zealot (Apostle)

Drawing of Simon the Zealot (Apostle) by Lorenzo Ferri based on the indications of Maria Valtorta. Source: documentary collection of the Maria Valtorta Heritage Foundation.

Leper (suffering from a hereditary serpigo) healed by Jesus, in his body and in his Soul.

Eighth apostle of Jesus. With Bartholomew, he is the eldest.

A Judean likely native of Bethany, son of a powerful household fallen into ruin. His father, without legitimate offspring, had Simon with a Canaanite slave.

"He squandered the inheritance. He was vicious, cruel, heartless, devoid of Heart, without affection. He denied me health, caresses, Peace. He branded me with a name that made me despised and transmitted to me a dishonorable disease... He took control of everything, even the future of his son. He took everything from me, even the joy of being a father."

This child weaned from affection, suffering from his illegitimacy, his mixed heritage, and social decline, Revolts. He becomes a hunted activist before becoming a leper.

"I was there (at Gamala) as a fugitive, one night a Good while ago. Afterward, the leprosy came and I no longer left the tombs. I came from Syria (Antioch), where I had sought refuge, but they discovered me and only fleeing to these lands prevented my capture. Afterward, I slowly descended, always threatened, to the desert of Tekoah and from there, now a leper, to the Valley of the Dead. The leprosy saved me from my Enemies..."

Simon keeps, for all Good, only a faithful servant and a house in Bethany, near that of Lazarus whom he is the friend, having met through their respective fathers. He is the one who introduces Jesus to Lazarus.

Restored to health by the Grace of Jesus, he recovers the remainder of his goods and sells them, provided that his faithful servant has a dwelling there. An anonymous buyer agrees to his conditions (in fact Lazarus himself). The sale price, managed by Lazarus since Simon has completely dedicated himself to following Jesus, is reserved for aiding the help of the unfortunate. An opportunity arises with the redemption of Jonah, the overseer who became a slave and martyr of Doras. Lazarus will again intervene anonymously to meet the exorbitant demands of Doras.

It is in this house regained, thanks to Lazarus, that Jesus and the Disciples will sometimes lodge. The Virgin Mary also, without doubt, prefers this house, which is more humble and less transient than that, nearby, of Lazarus.

Simon is nicknamed "the Zealot" by Luke and "the Canaanite" by Matthew and Mark. The explanation for this difference identifying the same man is given in GRM 56.6.

Character and Appearance

According to Lazarus, "Age and suffering have matured him like a wise man."

Pockmarked face, deep voice, olive complexion. An ugly and honest visage... eyes rather bovine ... mouth with thick and almost violet lips...

"He is an ugly man, indeed. To his unsightly features and dark olive complexion is added the bluish and deep trace of the scars left by his illness. But he has such a good look that his ugliness disappears."

"He is tall and thin. He has the dark complexion of a mixed-blood, deep and very black eyes under snow-white eyebrows, flax-colored and somewhat curly hair, a long wide nose at the tip, like the Libyans, thick lips, especially the lower one, and prominent. He is so olive-colored that his lip tends towards violet. On his forehead, an old scar remains and it will be the only blemish, now that he is purified from the crusts and filth (of leprosy)."

Jesus says of him, regarding his decision to leave him with Mary by Elise of Beth-zur who is greatly suffering from her 3 successive Mournings :

"Simon speaks little, but the little he says is always Good. He is a pacified Heart and an honest spirit. Above all, he has great good will. That is why I left him with my Mother. He is a perfect honest man, and at the same time, someone who knows how to live, who has suffered and is old. (...) Simon knows how to watch and how not to be heard, he never demands anything, he knows how to sympathize, he knows how to monitor himself."

Highly loved by James and especially by Jude of Alphaeus with whom he will form a bond of friendship. The two brothers really love him like sons and explain it to their mother:

"The affection of Alphaeus's sons for him is visible (...). "Mom, precisely in this house (Nazareth) and on a very sad evening for us, he gave us the affection of a father and kept it. We cannot forget it. For us he is 'the father'. We are to him 'sons'. What sons wouldn't rejoice to see a good father again?"

Being among the eldest of the Apostles, he suffers from rheumatism and complains about it. But Jesus warns him:

"Satan advises you uselessly to take care of your health. A cunning advice to try to take you from Me."

His wisdom, acquired through trial, will serve during the tragic times of the Dispersion of the Apostles who fled during the capture and execution of Jesus. Indeed, as Jesus asked him after the last Supper, just before his agony at Gethsemane and his capture, he is the one who will seek them out to reunite them. He has a "Face that is not beautiful, but made attractive by his austere distinction". The prudent, as Lazarus called Mary. Quite often elegant:

"[the Apostles] dressed very modestly except Judas Iscariot, Matthew, Simon and Bartholomew - I have listed them in descending order of elegance."

Apostolic Journey

Witness of the Last Supper, the Resurrection-, the Ascension and Pentecost.

He is one of those who, together with John, understands Jesus best, who confides in him. "My friend". Simon, perhaps because of his maturity gained by age and life experience, instinctively understands the redemptive destiny of Jesus better than all the other Apostles. He proves this when, during the first year of public life, Jesus prophetically announces his passion at the Jordan ford, where John the Baptist was baptizing.

He evangelizes lepers, his former companions in misfortune. He delivers the first "sermon" of the Apostles at Jesus' invitation after the election of the Apostles, followed by John, on the theme: "the reconstruction of the spiritual edifice of each in view of the new Doctrine".

"I have the impression that the Zealot plays this role a lot within the apostolic group. He is the moderator, the conciliator, the advisor of his companions, not to mention that he is the one who understands the Master so well," notes Maria Valtorta.

He is linked by Jesus to his cousin Jude:

"Come, Simon who had no sons. Come Jude, who loses your father for my love. I unite you in the same fate."

This perfect agreement between the two is confirmed. He is spiritually close to John, as noted by the Virgin Mary:

"Look then at the Zealot. He is not a boy. He has lived, he has struggled, he has hated. He sincerely acknowledges it. But he learned to meditate. And he too, believe me, is very high. You see? They both [he and John] seek each other because they resemble each other. They have reached the same perfect Age of the spirit by the same means: mental prayer. It is through it that the boy became manly in his spirit and through it that the one who was already old and tired regained strong virility."

His Name

סיימון

Simon, like Simeon (Chimon- Shim'ôn), means "he who hears". The nicknames seen in the Gospel: "Zealot"-, or "Canaanite or Cananite"-, are translations, for the former, of his political commitments, and for the latter, of his family origins and physical appearance.

In the work of Maria Valtorta, it is primarily the nickname Zealot that is used.

Where is he mentioned in the work?

Call of the first Apostles: GRM 54 GRM 56
Beginning of the apostleship in Galilee: GRM 70 GRM 71 GRM 72 GRM 73 GRM 74 GRM 75 GRM 76 GRM 77 GRM 78 GRM 79 GRM 80 GRM 81 GRM 82 GRM 83 GRM 83 GRM 84 GRM 85 GRM 86
Selection of the last Apostles: GRM 87 GRM 88 GRM 89 GRM 90 GRM 91 GRM 92 GRM 93 GRM 94 GRM 95 GRM 96 GRM 97
The last shepherds: GRM 98 GRM 99 GRM 100 GRM 102 GRM 103 GRM 104 GRM 105 GRM 108 GRM 109
In Judea before communal life: GRM 110 GRM 111 GRM 112 GRM 113 GRM 114 GRM 115 GRM 116 GRM 117 GRM 118
Teachings on the Ten Commandments: GRM 119 GRM 120 GRM 121 GRM 122 GRM 123 GRM 124 GRM 125 GRM 126 GRM 127 GRM 128
Year-end celebrations: GRM 133 GRM 134 GRM 135 GRM 136 GRM 137 GRM 138 GRM 139 GRM 140 Index GRM 141 GRM 142
The Samaritan woman: GRM 143 GRM 144 GRM 145 GRM 146 GRM 147 GRM 149
Women’s apostleship: GRM 152 GRM 153 GRM 154 GRM 155 GRM 157 GRM 158
In Galilee, the choice of Apostles: GRM 160 GRM 162 GRM 164 GRM 165 GRM 166
Sermon on the Mount: GRM 169 GRM 170 GRM 171 GRM 172 GRM 173 GRM 174 GRM 176
Apostleship in Galilee: GRM 177 GRM 178 GRM 179 GRM 180 GRM 181 GRM 182 GRM 183 GRM 184 GRM 186
Second Paschal journey: GRM 187 GRM 188 GRM 189 GRM 190 GRM 191 GRM 192 GRM 193 GRM 194 GRM 195 GRM 196 GRM 197 GRM 198 GRM 199 GRM 200 GRM 201 GRM 202 GRM 203
Apostleship in Judea: GRM 204 GRM 205 GRM 206 GRM 206 GRM 207 GRM 208 GRM 210 GRM 214 GRM 215
Apostleship in Philistia: GRM 216 GRM 217 GRM 218 GRM 219 GRM 220 GRM 221 GRM 222 GRM 223 GRM 224 GRM 225
The conversion of Mary Magdalene: GRM 228 GRM 230 GRM 232 GRM 233 GRM 235 GRM 237 GRM 238 GRM 239 GRM 240 GRM 241 GRM 242 GRM 243 GRM 244 GRM 247 GRM 248 GRM 249 GRM 250 GRM 251 GRM 252 GRM 253 GRM 254 GRM 255
Sending of Apostles and Disciples on Mission: GRM 256 GRM 257 GRM 258 GRM 260 GRM 261 GRM 262 GRM 265 GRM 268 GRM 269 GRM 271 GRM 272 GRM 273 GRM 274 GRM 275 GRM 276 GRM 277 GRM 278 GRM 279 GRM 280
Perea, Gilead and Trachonitis: GRM 281 GRM 284 4.149 - GRM 286 GRM 287 GRM 288 GRM 289 GRM 290 GRM 292 GRM 293 GRM 294 GRM 295 GRM 296 GRM 297 GRM 298 GRM 299 GRM 300 GRM 301 GRM 302
Year-end celebrations in Nazareth: GRM 306 GRM 307 GRM 308 GRM 309 GRM 310 GRM 311 GRM 312
The journey of the Disciples to Antioch: GRM 313 GRM 314 GRM 315 GRM 316 GRM 318 GRM 319 GRM 320 GRM 321 GRM 323 GRM 324 GRM 325 GRM 326
Phoenicia and Upper Galilee: GRM 332 GRM 333 GRM 334 GRM 335 GRM 336 GRM 338 GRM 339 GRM 340 GRM 341 GRM 342 GRM 343 GRM 344 GRM 345 GRM 346 GRM 347
The Transfiguration and the Bread of Heaven: GRM 348 GRM 349 GRM 350 GRM 351 GRM 352 GRM 353 GRM 354 GRM 355 GRM 356 GRM 357 GRM 358 GRM 359 GRM 360 GRM 361 GRM 362 GRM 363
The penultimate Passover: GRM 364 GRM 365 GRM 366 GRM 367 GRM 368 GRM 369 GRM 370 GRM 371 GRM 372 GRM 374 GRM 375 GRM 376 GRM 377 GRM 378
In Judea: GRM 379 GRM 380 GRM 381 GRM 382 GRM 383 GRM 384 GRM 385
AGodx in Judea: GRM 386 GRM 387 GRM 388 GRM 392 GRM 393 GRM 394 GRM 395 GRM 397 GRM 398 GRM 399 GRM 400 GRM 401 GRM 402 GRM 403
Plain of Sharon: GRM 404 GRM 405 GRM 406 GRM 407 GRM 408 GRM 409 GRM 410 GRM 411 GRM 412
Pentecost, Decapolis and Esdraelon Plain: GRM 413 GRM 414 GRM 415 GRM 416 GRM 417 GRM 418 GRM 419 GRM 420 GRM 421 GRM 422 GRM 423 GRM 424 GRM 425 GRM 426 GRM 427 GRM 428 GRM 429 GRM 430 GRM 431 GRM 432
Summer in Nazareth: GRM 433 GRM 434 GRM 435 GRM 436 GRM 439 GRM 440 GRM 441 GRM 443 GRM 444 GRM 445 GRM 446 GRM 447 GRM 448 GRM 449 GRM 450 GRM 451 GRM 452 GRM 453 GRM 454 GRM 455 GRM 456 GRM 457 GRM 458 GRM 459 GRM 460 GRM 461 GRM 462 GRM 463 GRM 465
In Syro-Phoenicia: GRM 466 GRM 467 GRM 469 GRM 470 GRM 471 GRM 475 GRM 473 GRM 474 GRM 475 GRM 475 GRM 475 GRM 483 GRM 493 GRM 498 GRM 499 GRM 504 GRM 505 GRM 511 GRM 515 GRM 520
The Feast of Dedication: GRM 529 GRM 531 GRM 532 GRM 535 GRM 536
The resurrection of Lazarus: GRM 541 GRM 547 GRM 550
Exile in Samaria: GRM 551 GRM 552 GRM 554 GRM 555 GRM 556 GRM 566 GRM 567 GRM 568 GRM 571 GRM 575
Return to Jerusalem: GRM 576 GRM 577 GRM 581 GRM 584 GRM 586 GRM 587
Holy Week: GRM 589 GRM 590 GRM 592 GRM 593 GRM 595 GRM 597 GRM 598 GRM 600 GRM 602 GRM 612 GRM 614 GRM 615
Resurrection Sunday: GRM 621 GRM 626 GRM 628 GRM 629 GRM 630 GRM 631
From Resurrection to Ascension: GRM 633 GRM 634 GRM 635 GRM 636 GRM 638 GRM 639 GRM 640 GRM 643 GRM 646 GRM 648 GRM 649

Learn more about this character

The mutual friendship of Simon the Zealot (Apostle) and Jude will lead them to evangelize together, according to Tradition, Persia and to die there as martyrs.

The Golden Legend of James of Voragine

In this very famous 13th-century recension-, Simon is identified as the brother of James the lesser according to Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3. This justifies the confusion of persons: Simon means obedient or sad. He had two nicknames because he was called Simon the Zealous, and Simon the Canaanite, from Cana, a town of Galilee, where the Lord turned water into wine. Furthermore, Zealous and Canaanite are one and the same, since Cana means zeal. Thus, saint Simon possessed obedience by fulfilling precepts; sadness by sympathizing with the afflicted; zeal by constantly working ardently for the salvation of Souls.

Notes and references

Note: Quotations from the work of Maria Valtorta on this page currently use machine-translated text and will gradually be replaced by the official English translation. Until then, the official translation may be consulted through the reference link provided with each quotation.

The Gospel as Revealed to Me (Maria Valtorta).