![[Saint Hilary of Poitiers]](http://saints.sqpn.com/wp-content/gallery/saint-hilary-of-poitiers/saint-hilary-of-poitiers-01.jpg "22kb jpg detail of a 14th century illustration of the ordination of Saint Hilary of Poitiers; swiped off the Wikipedia web site")
Also known as
- Athanasius of the West
- Doctor of the Divinity of Christ
- Hammer against Arianism
- Ilario di Poitiers
- Malleus Arianorum
- 13 January
- formerly 14 January
Profile
Born to wealthy polytheistic, pagan nobility, Hilary’s early life was uneventful as he married, had children (including Saint Abra), and studied on his own. Through his studies he came to believe in salvation through good works, then monotheism. As he studied the Bible for the first time, he literally read himself into the faith, and was converted by the end of the New Testament.
Hilary lived the faith so well he was made bishop of Poitiers from 353 to 368. Hilary opposed the emperor’s attempt to run Church matters, and was exiled; he used the time to write works explaining the faith. His teaching and writings converted many, and in an attempt to reduce his notoriety he was returned to the small town of Poitiers where his enemies hoped he would fade into obscurity. His writings continued to convert pagans.
He introduced Eastern theology to the Western Church, fought Arianism with the help of Saint Viventius, and was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1851.
Born
- 368 of natural causes
- against rheumatism
- against snakes
- against snake bites
- backward children
- children learning to walk
- mothers
- sick people
- —-
- La Rochelle, France
- Poitiers Luçon, France
- Argusto, Italy
- Vervio, Italy
Additional Information
- Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
- Catholic Encyclopedia
- Catholic News Agency: Saint of the Day
- Christian Biographies, by James Keifer
- Ecole Initiative, by Karen Rae Keck
- Heiligen 3s
- Katherine Rabenstein
- Kirken i Norge
- Lives of Illustrious Men, by Saint Jerome
- Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
- New Catholic Dictionary
- Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
- Pictorial Lives of the Saints
- On the Councils at CCEL
- On the Councils at NewAdvent
- On the Trinity at CCEL
- On the Trinity at NewAdvent
- Homilies on the Psalms at CCEL
- Homilies on the Psalms at NewAdvent
Readings
To those who wish to stand in God’s grace, neither the guardianship of saints nor the defenses of angels are wanting. - Saint Hilary, Commentary on the Psalms
We have been promised, and he who made the promise is trustworthy: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Yes, in our poverty we will pray for our needs. We will study the sayings of your prophets and apostles with unflagging attention, and knock for admittance wherever the gift of understanding is safely kept. But yours it is, Lord, to grant our petitions, to be present when we seek you and to open when we knock. Impart to us, then, the meaning of the words of Scripture and the light to understand it, with reverence for the doctrine and confidence in its truth. Grant that we may express what we believe. Through the prophets and apostles we know about you, the one God the Father, and the one Lord Jesus Christ. May we have the grace, the face of heretics who deny you, to honor you as God, who is not alone, and to proclaim this as truth. - from a sermon on the Trinity by Saint Hilary
MLA Citation
- “Saint Hilary of Poitiers“. Saints.SQPN.com. 12 January 2013. Web. 21 May 2013. <>