Shimon the Varangian

[3] In recognition, when Anthony founded the cave monastery, Šimon donated a belt and a wreath of gold that his father Afrikan had used to adorn a crucifix.

[3] His son Georgi also showed affection for the cave monastery and sent gold and silver from Suzdal to the decoration of the grave of Saint Theodosius of Kiev.

Šimon's great-grandchildren were buried in the Dmitri church in Suzdal, which was built by its bishop Jefrem who had been ordained in the cave monastery.

[4] The first scholar who undertook to identify the people mentioned in the Patericon was Fyodor Braun, and he suggested that Afrikan was based on an archaic pronunciation of the Old Norse dialect of Södermanland.

[4] Basing himself on Braun's analysis, Pritsak suggests that Jarl Hákon Eiríksson had a brother named *Afreki who is unattested in Old Norse sources.