That particular St. Simeon famously dragged the corpse of a dog behind him in his travels. He would blow at candles in churches. He was also known to throw nuts at the clergy during masses, and also at women. I'm uncertain why he threw nuts at both. If there is a connection between them, and them and nuts, it escapes me. He was known to skip and dance his way around the arena during public performances or games. On feast days calling for fasting he would eat huge amounts of food, particularly beans, and then proudly indulge the effects of eating that "magical fruit."
He is shown in the picture above, apparently doing a kind of summersault for the delight of those waiting along his path. The dog appearing with him is presumably dead. He's known as the patron Saint of puppeteers, and pictures of him sometimes show him brandishing a puppet of some kind--probably an angel.
In the peculiar logic of religious belief, his bizarre behavior is claimed as evidence of his saintliness. Sometimes, it's maintained that he acted like a lunatic in order to demonstrate that life on earth was a farce, and only the Kingdom of God important. Perhaps he is meant to be a kind of Christian version of Diogenes. After all, according to Plato, Diogenes was Socrates gone made.
But I confess that I suspect he was mentally ill. I also confess that it delights me that such a person was made a Saint. A crazy Saint is worthy of reverence. I must see if there is a St. Simeon the Holy Fool medal. I'd gladly wear it.
And, although it seems this Simeon isn't the patron Saint of fools, it's appropriate that there be one, particularly given the prevalence of fools here in our Great Republic and elsewhere. Those who believe in such things as a worldwide conspiracy of powerful pedophiles should have someone they may ask to intervene with God on their behalf, and who better than the nut-throwing St. Simeon? Though it seems they've lost their minds, they wouldn't pray to St. Anthony being uninterested in finding them.
