What significance do the church fathers attribute to Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross of Christ?
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From Thomas Aquinas Catena Aurea, an extract of Origen's comments (There are a number of sites hosting English Translations of the Catena Aurea on the internet. Here is one such):
Origen: Or, as they went out, they laid hold of Simon, but when they drew near to the place in which they would crucify Him, they laid the cross upon Him that He might bear it. Simon obtained not this office by chance, but was brought to the spot by God's providence, that he might be found worthy of mention in the Scriptures of the Gospel, and of the ministry of the cross of Christ. And it was not only meet that the Saviour should carry His cross, but meet also that we should take part therein, filling a carriage so beneficial to us. Yet would it not have so profited us to take it on us, as we have profited by His taking it upon Himself.
Also in the Catena Aurea, commentary from Venerable Bede (who translated a significant amount of the Church Fathers' writings in his day):
Bede: Or, since this Simon is not called a man a Jerusalem, but a Cyrenian, (for Cyrene is a city in Libya,) fitly is he taken to mean the nations of the Gentiles, which were once foreigners and strangers to the covenants, but now by obedience are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. Whence also Simon is fitly interpreted ‘obedient’, and Cyrene ‘an heir’. But he is said to come from a country place, for a country place is called ‘pagos’ in Greek, wherefore those whom we see to be aliens from the city of God, we call pagans. Simon then coming out from the country carries the cross after Jesus, when the Gentile nations leaving pagan rights embrace obediently the footsteps of our Lord’s Passion.
While not exhaustive, this is a sampling of some of the Church Fathers' comments on Simon of Cyrene. These point to Simon's symbolic position as an example to believers to "pick up your cross and follow me."
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