Simon Asic

Father Simon Asic (also spelled Simona Asica), O.Cist., was a Catholic priest, author, and a Cistercian monk of Sticna Abbey in Slovenia, well known for his work as an herbalist and healer. He joined the Cistercian Order at Sticna in 1919, and professed vows in 1924. He studied for the priesthood at Mogila Abbey in Poland, and was ordained in 1931. From 1936 to 1941, he served in Ljubljana, where he studied the use of medicinal plants. He was named Subprior of Sticna Abbey in 1942, and Prior of the abbey in 1945, a position he held for 47 years. Dom Simon wrote four books about herbal medicine, three books on the proper use of herbs and one on the collection of healing plants. His reputation as a healer drew many people to the abbey seeking his advice, and his recipes for teas and ointments became the basis for a pharmacy and retail business that continues to support the abbey to this day.