A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

10. HIEROSOLYMITANUS, or of JERUSALEM (1). Symeon or Simon, son of Cleophas, and, according to general belief, kinsman of Jesus Christ, was, according to the ecclesiastical historians, the second bishop of the Church of Jerusalem, the Apostle James, son of Alpheius, having been the first. Some of the later Greeks represent Symeon as the son of Joseph (husband of the Virgin Mary) by a former wife. The tradition of his appointment is given by Eusebius (Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 2.11). After holding his bishopric for many years Symeon was put to death for his faith as a Christian, and because he was descended from David. He was a hundred and twenty years old at the time of his martyrdom, which took place during the persecution in the reign of Trajan, and while Atticus, the consular, was governor of Syria. Eusebius, in his Chronicon, places the martyrdom of Symeon in the tenth year of Trajan, the third year of Olympiad 221, in the fourth consulship of Sosius and third of Sura, A. D. 107. Some critics, including Bishop Lloyd of St. Asaph, Dodwell, and Pagi, bring down his death to A. D. 116. Symeon is worshipped as a Saint both by the Latin and Greek Churches, by the former on the 18th of February, by the latter on the 27th of April. He was succeeded in his bishopric by Justus. (Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 3.11, 32 ; Hegesippus, apud Euseb. ll. cc. ; Euseb. Chronicon ; Chronicon Paschale; Acta Sanctorum Februar. ad diem xviii. vol. iii. p. 53; Le Quien, Oriens Christian. vol. iii. col. 140.)