In 1947, Fr Simon (Bai) was already ordained a hierodeacon. Shortly after the Chinese Church gained its independence, Fr Simon had opportunity to serve at the altar with Bishop Vasily in Beijing. He was later ordained a hieromonk and appointed abbot at Kazan Male Monastery in Harbin, and survived the Cultural Revolution.
According to Harbin municipal religious archive, at the end of 1985, Fr Simon and Fr Gregory Zhu were the two remaining priests in Harbin.