San Simón is said to answer prayers that might be too taboo for Catholic saints. A master shape shifter, reconciling religious traditions and offering guidance to indigenous Mayans who venerate him in Guatemala. San Simón (pronounced sahn see-MOAN) / Maximón (pronounced “maw-shee-MOAN”) is a folk saint originating amongst the Mayan people of present-day Guatemala. His pre-Colombian beginnings are somewhat obscure, but it is commonly accepted that the epithet Maximon is derived from a combination of the words Ma’am, the name of a Mayan underworld deity meaning “Great Grandfather” and “Ancient One,” and Simón, as early efforts toward syncretization with the religion of colonizing Catholic forces linked him to the apostle Simon Peter (Simón-Pedro). Later attempts by colonizing Catholic forces to annihilate the worship of this entity by associating him with the New Testament character Judas Iscariot also failed as this epithet was simply added to the others. San Simón represents chthonic male sexual power and, as such, he is particularly fond of women, though his generous favor is available to all come to him with faith in his ability to meet their needs and desires. San Simón is often petitioned for aid in matters of money and business affairs, housing, luck, love, protection, fertility, justice, revenge, healing, and uncrossing / spiritual cleansing. He is associated with the crossroads (any place where two paths meet at perpendicular angles) and with the mysteries of death and rebirth. As such, he is an “opener of the way” deity known especially for removing obstacles that stand in the way of wealth and worldly success. He is often referred to as “Hermano“ (Brother) due to his easy accessibility and his generous willingness to help the living achieve the conditions they seek.
