Simeon was a very pious Christian born in the fourth century AD. He came to the wooded mountaintop where the basilica is now located for solitude. Others heard of the very religious man and sought him out for his blessing and advice. To get away from these people he built a 3-meter high stone pillar and climbed onto it. He didn't want his visitors to be able to touch him. As more and more people came to see him he replaced his pillar with taller ones. His last pillar was 18-meters (60-feet) high. He is said to have spent the greater part of 40 years on top of pillars.
The boulder behind the girls is what's left of his pillar after centuries of Pilgrims chipping away souvenirs.