St. Simeon Stylites

St. Simeon Stylites was a fifth-century ascetic known for living the last thirty-seven years of his life on a platform atop a pillar in order to have more time and space for private prayer. Before the pillar, he was sought for his spiritual wisdom, so he decided to live on the pillar to have some time for private prayer. His superiors initially tested him to see if he was acting out of pride, but he was obedient to his superiors, and they let him remain on the pillar. Simeon had food sent up to him atop the pillar, and while on the pillar, he devoted himself to prayer and to counseling those who continued to seek his wisdom, including emperors and bishops.