Simon of Cyrene

Simon's name appeared only once (few hours) in the New Testament in the life of Jesus. Simon is as a common name for Jewish, Greeks, and other people during that time as Joe or Charlie is today. Yet one of these Simons, called Simon of Cyrene, became a figure larger than life in God's plan of salvation for mankind. They called him "of Cyrene" because he was born in a city named Cyrenaica or Cyrene and whose role in the life of Jesus and in God the Father's plan of salvation was to help Jesus car