Simon the Athonite was a 13th-century Eastern Orthodox monk who lived as a hermit on Mount Athos. According to tradition, he resided in a cave near a rock that is now known as Simonopetra. Following a divine sign, which some accounts describe as a vision of the Theotokos and others as a celestial star, he established the monastery of New Bethlehem. He passed away in 1287, and his life and subsequent miracles led to his recognition as a saint within the Orthodox tradition.