Symeon 14 was a relative of Maria 7 (the mother of St Gregory the Decapolite, Gregorios 79): Ignatius, Vita Greg. Dec. 4. He was presumably her brother since he is described as the θεῖος of Gregorios 79: Ignatius, Vita Greg. Dec. 5. If so, he had a brother who was also a monk (see Anonymus 285). He was the archimandrite in charge of the monasteries in the Decapolis in Isauria (ὄν ἀρχιμανδρίτην εἶχε τηνικαῦτα τὰ πρὸς τῇ Δεκαπόλει συντελοῦντα σεμνεῖα) and Gregorios 79 went to him to complain of the beating he had received from the hegoumenos of the monastery where he first stayed (Anonymus 284); Symeon 14 then took charge of Gregorios 79's training as a monk: Ignatius, Vita Greg. Dec. 4, and cf. 29 (see below).

After Gregorios 79 had spent fourteen years in his monastery Symeon 14 granted his request for permission to become a solitary and furnished him with a suitable cave: Ignatius, Vita Greg. Dec. 5. Later Gregorios 79 reported to him a vision which he had; Symeon 14 was an old man by this time (τῷ εἰρημένῳ γέροντι Συμεῶνι): Ignatius, Vita Greg. Dec. 7. He promptly visited Gregorios 79 and gave him encouragement; he is described as "the aforementioned archimandrite" (ὁ δὲ ῥηθεὶς ἀρχιμανδρίτης): Ignatius, Vita Greg. Dec. 8. He told the author of the Life of Gregory the Decapolite, Ignatios 9, how Gregorios 79 used sometimes to disappear, then reappear again, miraculously: Ignatius, Vita Greg. Dec. 24. Symeon 14 was being held in prison in Constantinople by the emperor, because of his beliefs (as an iconophile), when he heard that Gregorios 79 was dangerously ill; he asked him to come to see him, if he could; Gregorios 79 made the journey, by which time, it appears, Symeon 14 had been released (ἐκεῖ γὰρ Συμεὼν δεσμώτης ἦν παρὰ τοῦ τηνικαῦτα κρατοῦντος τῆς ὀρθῆς πίστεως ἕνεκα καὶ ἄρτι τῆς φρουρᾶς καὶ τῶν δεσμῶν ἀπελύετο); Symeon 14 had known Gregorios 79 from boyhood, had helped in his training as a monk and now as his life was ending embraced him like a father, before sending him back; Gregorios 79 died one year after falling ill: Ignatius, Vita Greg. Dec. 28-29. Gregorios 79 died on 20 November, 842; Symeon 14 was therefore in prison under Theophilos 5 in late 841/early 842. He evidently outlived Gregorios 79.

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