He was born during one of the darkest periods in Greek history. He came into the world in 1486, in the early decades of Ottoman rule, not long after the Fall of Constantinople. His life would unfold through a series of extraordinary events that continue to astonish those who learn of them.
Until ?is Marriage
He was born in Bathyrema, which at that time was a flourishing town in the region of Thessaly (central Greece), with a population of approximately two thousand inhabitants. He was the only son of Fr. Andreas, one of the priests of Bathyrema.
From early childhood, Symeon had resolved to devote his life entirely to Christ. He made a vow to God: “I will remain a virgin and become a monk.” The townspeople, aware of his vow, affectionately referred to him as “the monk.”
When Symeon had just turned nineteen, he was a handsome and tall young man. The village elder, Thanasis, wished to marry him to his daughter, Triantafyllia. Convinced that the young man would never consent willingly, he devised a plan that he believed could overcome the obstacle.
Thanasis intended to persuade Fr. Andreas that the devshirme would be imposed that year and that Ottoman officials would soon pass through every town, requiring all boys between the ages of seven and twenty to be presented before them. It was a fabricated story, but he hoped that fear would compel the priest to agree to the marriage, since married young men were exempt from the levy.
He therefore sent word for Fr. Andreas to come to his house, saying that he had a matter of great importance to discuss with him.
When the priest arrived, Thanasis began the decisive conversation.
“Have you heard the news, my dear Father? The devshirme will be imposed this year. Ottoman officials will pass through every town, requiring the authorities to present all boys between seven and twenty years of age. Woe to those whose children are taken. Tell me, Father, how old is your son?”
“My son? He has just turned nineteen.”
“Then they will certainly take him. He will not be spared. He will be taken and made a Muslim.”
The priest was shaken.
“Is there no hope?”
“Only one. If you marry him immediately, he will be spared. Otherwise, they will surely take him. He is tall, strong, and handsome—the very type they seek.”
“Oh, Mr. Thanasis…”
“Why do you hesitate?”
“You know that Symeon has vowed to become a monk.”
“Father, listen carefully. If you wish to save your son, you must persuade him to marry. There is no other way.”
“I will… I will speak to him.”
Thanasis accompanied the priest to the courtyard gate. As Fr. Andreas disappeared into the darkness, he repeated quietly:
“Do not forsake us, O Lord; do not forsake us.”
When he returned home, Fr. Andreas conveyed the message to his son. But Symeon remained steadfast. He insisted that he had given his word to Christ and that he could not break his sacred promise.
The forced Marriage
Symeon had just lain down to rest for the night. It was well past midnight when, all of a sudden, he heard the sound of heavy footsteps and unfamiliar voices approaching his humble home. Moments later, five or six Turkish soldiers burst inside. (At the time, Greece was under Ottoman rule, and
Thanasis, as village elder, enjoyed the favor of the local Ottoman authorities).
The soldiers seized Symeon and hurriedly escorted him to Thanasis’s house, where arrangements had been made to force him into marriage. Fr. Thomas celebrated the Sacrament of Marriage. To the groom, however, it felt less like a wedding than a funeral service.
Finding himself in an impossible situation, Symeon took his bride, Triantafyllia, and returned home.
News of the forced marriage spread quickly, and the whole town was thrown into confusion.
Years later, Triantafyllia herself recalled: “The whole town was turned upside down when they learned that the priest’s son had married, even though he had vowed to become a monk. They did not know that he had been married against his will. Everyone treated him as though he were an outcast, and whenever they saw him, they avoided him.”
?ext in this series: Stormy Events and Great Shock
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