Simon

Simon of Cyrene was compelled by Roman soldiers to carry Jesus' cross on the way to his crucifixion.

Simon of Cyrene is mentioned in Mat 27:32, Mrk 15:21, and Luk 23:26 as the man who was compelled by Roman soldiers to carry Jesus' cross on the way to his crucifixion at Golgotha. Cyrene was a city in modern-day Libya, North Africa, indicating that Simon may have been a visitor to Jerusalem, possibly for the Passover festival.

The gospels record that as Jesus was being led out of the city to be crucified, he was weakened by the torture and beatings he had endured. The Roman soldiers seized Simon, who was passing by on his way in from the country, and forced him to carry Jesus' cross behind him.

Mark's gospel provides an additional detail, mentioning that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus (Mrk 15:21). This suggests that Simon's sons were known to the early Christian community, possibly as believers themselves.

Simon's role in carrying Jesus' cross has been seen as a symbolic representation of the Christian call to take up one's cross and follow Christ (Mat 16:24; Luk 9:23). His brief but significant appearance in the gospel narrative has made him a figure of contemplation and veneration in Christian tradition.

A Jew of Cyrene, in North Africa, then a province of Libya. A hundred thousand Jews from Palestine had been settled in this province by Ptolemy Soter (B.C. 323-285), where by this time they had greatly increased in number. They had a synagogue in Jerusalem for such of their number as went thither to the annual feasts. Simon was seized by the soldiers as the procession wended its way to the place of crucifixion as he was passing by, and the heavy cross which Christ from failing strength could no longer bear was laid on his shoulders. Perhaps they seized him because he showed sympathy with Jesus. He was the “father of Alexander and Rufus” (Matt. 27:32). Possibly this Simon may have been one of the “men of Cyrene” who preached the word to the Greeks (Acts 11:20).