The Monk Silouan of Athos, known in the world under the name Simeon, was born in 1866 into the pious family of peasant John Antonov, who lived in the village of Shovsky, Shovskaya volost, Lebedinsky district, Tambov province. Simeon's parents were hardworking, meek and naturally wise, albeit illiterate. As the elder later recalled, a large and friendly family lived poorly, however, they never refused to help those in need, sometimes even sharing the last one with them. The family received wanderers especially cordially. The father talked with them about God and Christian life, and these conversations made a strong impression on the receptive soul of the youth Simeon.
Since childhood, Simeon worked together with his elders, helping his father to the best of his ability in the field and his brothers in construction work on the landowner's estate. Perhaps for this reason he was forced to leave rural school, studying only «two winters». But the desire for knowledge has always been inherent in the monk.
The life of the devout Antonov family was inextricably linked with the temple, a visit to which instilled in Simeon from infancy a sense of reverence for the word of God, and raised him in the spirit of Christian humility and other virtues. In the temple, he learned church literacy, learned concentrated prayer, and listened to the reading of the «Lives of the Saints». A few years later, the young man, having loved the Lord with all his soul, openly wished to retire to the monastery and take monastic vows. His desire, however, did not meet with support from his father, who insisted that his son first enter military service and only after completing it decided what to become.
Obeying his parent's word, Simeon returned to his normal life. He was nineteen years old at that time. Pious intention soon abandoned him, and he, like many of his peers, succumbed to the temptations of the world. Young, handsome, strong, and by that time already prosperous, he enjoyed life and, in the noisy bustle of the world, began to forget the first call of God to monastic service.
But the Lord saved him from plunging into the sinful abyss, again calling him to get away from the bustle of the world and take the path of monasticism. One day, returning home from a party, he dozed off and in a thin dream, looking at himself as if from the outside, saw how a «-brave serpent » penetrated into him. Feeling disgusted, he woke up and, at the moment of awakening, heard the words spoken by the Most Holy Theotokos: «You swallowed the serpent in your sleep and you are disgusted; so I don’t feel good looking at what you do». Realizing his sins, the young man ardently repented of them before the Lord and thanked the Mother of God for the kindness shown to him. Simeon regained the desire to devote his life to God.
Simeon served in St. Petersburg. He was considered an executive warrior, exemplary in behavior, faithful in his relationships with his comrades in the service, for which his colleagues loved him. In the army, the gift of his wise advice was manifested with particular force, following which many found peace of mind and prosperity. Having gone into service with lively faith and a deep penitential feeling, Simeon never forgot about God.
By that time, the place of his future monastic exploits had been determined — Holy Mount Athos. Shortly before the end of military service, Simeon asked for prayers and blessings from the holy righteous John of Kronstadt. Simeon stayed at home for only one week after the end of his service. Having collected gifts for the monastery and what was needed for the journey, he said goodbye to everyone and went to Athos.
In the fall of 1892, the monk arrived on the Holy Mountain and was received as a novice at the Russian Panteleimon Monastery during the heyday of this monastery. The novice's life in the monastery was simple, accessible and outwardly unremarkable: at first his obedience was hard work at the mill, which was replaced by the troublesome work of the economy, the management of workshops, a food warehouse, and in his declining years a — trading shop. Having gone through the path of initial monastic trials, in 1896 Simeon was tonsured into a robe with the name Silouan, and in 1911 — into the schema, leaving his previous name.
The monk did not have his own disciples and was not in obedience to any specific elder. He himself, like most monks, was brought up in an atmosphere of spiritual tradition common to the monks of Mount Athos, spending, as required by the centuries-old way of life in the monastery, days in the incessant Jesus Prayer, in long services in the temple, in fasting and vigils, frequent confession and communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, reading spiritual books and work. From the first to the last day, the monk showed an image of perfect obedience.
Having lived for 46 years in a monastery with a dormitory charter, the ascetic never sought to go into the gate or be sent to a vacant lot, believing that these were only auxiliary means, and not the goal of Christian life. At the same time, he was far from worldly interests. Constantly being among people, the elder kept his mind and heart from extraneous thoughts, cleansed them of passions for prayer to God, claiming that this was the shortest path to salvation. His whole life was a heartfelt prayer « to great tears», an exceptionally high feat of love for the Lord, and in 1938, Elder Schemamonk Silouan died peacefully.
With his ascetic life, he showed an example of meekness, humility and love for his neighbors. 50 years later, in 1998, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople canonized the blessed elder. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus', the name of St. Silouan of Athos was included in the months of the Russian Orthodox Church on September 11 (old style).