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

The Gospel as it was revealed to me (Maria Valtorta).