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Simon Magus

1910 New Catholic Dictionary

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Dictionaries
Holman Bible Dictionary
• Magus, Simon
Hastings' BibleDictionary
• Simon Magus
Hastings' NT Dictionary
• Simon Magus
Dictionary of Early Christian Biography
• Simon Magus
• Helena, Companion of Simon Magus
1910 New Catholic Dictionary
• Simon Magus
• Magus, Simon
Whyte's Bible Characters
• Simon Magus
Encyclopedias
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
• Simon Magus
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
• Magus, Simon
• Simon Magus
The Nuttall Encyclopedia
• Simon Magus
The Catholic Encyclopedia
• Simon Magus
The Jewish Encyclopedia
• Simon Magus
Lexicons
• Σίμων

According to the testimony of Saint Justin, a native of Gitta, he was converted by the preaching of Philip in Samana and was baptized. When the Apostles Peter and John came to give the Holy Ghost to the believers, Simon offered them money for the power of bestowing the Holy Spirit and was severely rebuked by Saint Peter. He begged the Apostles to pray for him (Acts 9). According to legend Simon came to Rome and won many adherents by his magic. Another version makes him the chief antagonist of Saint Peter. By magic he rose into the air, but the prayers of the Apostles Peter and Paul caused him to fall, a scene depicted in the attached image. In the traditions of the 2century he was regarded as head of an heretical sect called Simonans.