Category:Saint Hilary of Poitiers

Saint Hilary of Poitiers - Bishop, Confessor and Doctor of the Church "Malleus Arianorum" and the "Athanasius of the West;" Born: c. 300 AD in Pictavium, Gaul (modern-day Poitiers, France) Died: c. 368 in Poitiers Honored in: Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Churches Anglican Communion Lutheran Church Oriental Orthodoxy Canonized: Pre-Congregation Feast: January 13 January 14 (in some local calendars and pre-1970 General Roman Calendar)

Excerpt from Lives of the Saints,1894
ST. HILARY OF POITIERS January 13 (Roman Rite) - January 14 (pre-1970 General Roman Calendar)

ST. HILARY was a native of Poitiers in Aquitaine. Born and educated a pagan, it was not till near middle age that he embraced Christianity, moved thereto mainly by the idea of God presented to him in the Holy Scriptures. He soon converted his wife and daughter, and separated himself rigidly from all un-Catholic company. In the beginning of his conversion St. Hilary would not eat with Jews or heretics, nor salute them by the way; but afterwards, for their sake, he relaxed this severity. He entered Holy Orders, and in 353 was chosen bishop of his native city. Arianism, under the protection of the Emperor Constantius, was just then in the height of its power, and St. Hilary found himself called upon to support the orthodox cause in several Gallic councils, in which Arian bishops formed an overwhelming majority. He was in consequence accused to the emperor, who banished him to Phrygia. He spent his three years and more of exile in composing his great works on the Trinity. In 359 he attended the Council of Seleucia, in which Arians, semi-Arians, and Catholics contended for the mastery. With the deputies of the council he proceeded to Constantinople, and there so dismayed the heads of the Arian party that they prevailed upon the emperor to let him return to Gaul. He traversed Gaul, Italy, and Illyria, wherever he came discomfiting the heretics and procuring triumph of orthodoxy. After seven or eight years of missionary travel he returned to Poitiers, where he died in peace in 368.

Reflection.—Like St. Hilary, we, too, are called to a lifelong contest with heretics; we shall succeed in proportion as we combine hatred of heresy, with compassion for its victims. Excerpt from Lives of the Saints,1894 by Alban Butler, Benziger Brothers edition, 1894