Simeon, Kinsman of the Lord

Simeon was the son of Clopas, the brother of Joseph the Betrothed, and thus a kinsman of the Lord according to the flesh. After the martyrdom of James, the Brother of the Lord, Simeon was chosen by the apostles and disciples to succeed him as bishop of Jerusalem. He guided the mother church of Christendom for many decades, through the destruction of the city in 70 AD and the scattering of its people. According to the account preserved by the early historian Hegesippus and recorded by Eusebius, Simeon was denounced during the persecution under the emperor Trajan as both a descendant of David and a Christian. Though extremely old, he endured torture over many days with a fortitude that amazed his judges, and was finally crucified, following his Lord in the very manner of his death.