St. Hilary of Poitiers
Patron against snake bites
Died: 368
"They didn't know who they were." This is how Hilary summed up the problem with the Arian heretics of the fourth century.
Hilary, on the other hand, knew very well who he was -- a child of a loving God who had inherited eternal life through belief in the Son of God. He hadn't been raised as a Christian but he had felt a wonder at the gift of life and a desire to find out the meaning of that gift. He first discarded the approach of many people who around him, who believed the purpose of life was only to satisfy desires. He knew he wasn't a beast grazing in a pasture. The philosophers agreed with him. Human beings should rise above desires and live a life of virtue, they said. But Hilary could see in his own heart that humans were meant for even more than living a good life.
If he didn't lead a virtuous life, he would suffer from guilt and be unhappy. His soul seemed to cry out that wasn't enough to justify the enormous gift of life. So Hilary went looking for the giftgiver. He was told many things about the divine -- many that we still hear today: that there were many Gods, that God didn't exist but all creation was the result of random acts of nature, that God existed but didn't really care for his creation, that God was in creatures or images. One look in his own soul told him these images of the divine were wrong. God had to be one because no creation could be as great as God. God had to be concerned with God's creation -- otherwise why create it?
At that point, Hilary tells us, he "chanced upon" the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. When he read the verse where God tells Moses "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14), Hilary said, "I was frankly amazed at such a clear definition of God, which expressed the incomprehensible knowledge of the divine nature in words most suited to human intelligence." In the Psalms and the Prophets he found descriptions of God's power, concern, and beauty. For example in Psalm 139, "Where shall I go from your spirit?", he found confirmation that God was everywhere and omnipotent.
But still he was troubled. He knew the giftgiver now, but what was he, the recipient of the gift? Was he just created for the moment to disappear at death? It only made sense to him that God's purpose in creation should be "that what did not exist began to exist, not that what had begun to exist would cease to exist." Then he found the Gospels and read John's words including "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God..." (John 1:1-2). From John he learned of the Son of God and how Jesus had been sent to bring eternal life to those who believed. Finally his soul was at rest. "No longer did it look upon the life of this body as troublesome or wearisome, but believed it to be what the alphabet is to children... namely, as the patient endurance of the present trials of life in order to gain a blissful eternity." He had found who he was in discovering God and God's Son Jesus Christ.
After becoming a Christian, he was elected bishop of Poitiers in what is now France by the laity and clergy. He was already married with one daughter named Apra.
Not everyone at that time had the same idea of who they were. The Arians did not believe in the divinity of Christ and the Arians had a lot of power including the support of the emperor Constantius. This resulted in many persecutions. When Hilary refused to support their condemnation of Saint Athanasius he was exiled from Poitiers to the East in 356. The Arians couldn't have had a worse plan -- for themselves.
Hilary really had known very little of the whole Arian controversy before he was banished. Perhaps he supported Athanasius simply because he didn't like their methods. But being exiled from his home and his duties gave him plenty of time to study and write. He learned everything he could about what the Arians said and what the orthodox Christians answered and then he began to write. "Although in exile we shall speak through these books, and the word of God, which cannot be bound, shall move about in freedom." The writings of his that still exist include On the Trinity, a commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, and a commentary on the Psalms. He tells us about the Trinity, "For one to attempt to speak of God in terms more precise than he himself has used: -- to undertake such a thing is to embark upon the boundless, to dare the incomprehensible. He fixed the names of His nature: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Whatever is sought over and above this is beyond the meaning of words, beyond the limits of perception, beyond the embrace of understanding."
After three years the emperor kicked him back to Poitiers, because, we are told by Sulpicius Severus, the emperor was tired of having to deal with the troublemaker, "a sower of discord an a disturber of the Orient." But no one told Hilary he had to go straight back to his home and so he took a leisurely route through Greece and Italy, preaching against the Arians as he went.
In the East he had also heard the hymns used by Arians and orthodox Christians as propaganda. These hymns were not based on Scripture as Western hymns but full of beliefs about God. Back at home, Hilary started writing hymns of propaganda himself to spread the faith. His hymns are the first in the West with a known writer.
Some of use may wonder at all the trouble over what may seem only words to us now. But Hilary wasn't not fighting a war of words, but a battle for the eternal life of the souls who might hear the Arians and stop believing in the Son of God, their hope of salvation.
The death of Constantius in 361 ended the persecution of the orthodox Christians. Hilary died in 367 or 368 and was proclaimed a doctor of the Church in 1851.
In His Footsteps:In Exodus, the Prophets, and the Gospel of John, Hilary found his favorite descriptions of God and God's relationship to us. What verses of Scripture describe God best for you? If you aren't familiar with Scripture, look up the verses that Hilary found. What do they mean to you?
Prayer:Saint Hilary of Poitiers, instead of being discouraged by your exile, you used your time to study and write. Help us to bring good out of suffering and isolation in our own lives and see adversity as an opportunity to learn about or share our faith. Amen
Previous Saint
< St. Hilary, Pope
Next Saint
St. Hilary >
Rate This Saint
1 - 20 of 34 Comments
Leave a Comment
Previous Saint
< St. Hilary, Pope
Next Saint
St. Hilary >
Find Saints
Catholic Online offers the largest searchable database of Catholic Saints on the internet.
| Browse Saints by Alphabet |
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
| Patron Saints by Alphabet |
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
Videos
St. Francis of Assisi 80,693 views View Video
Padre Pio 48,933 views View Video
Black Saints Vol I 31,733 views View Video
Black Saints Vol II 28,004 views View Video
Most Popular
No-one Can Change the Truth About Fatherhood. Love Your Father. Be a Good Father Read More
Courageous Cardinal George of Chicago Defends Marriage, Calls for Public Conversion Read More
Fall of the Wall of Silence: More on Pope Francis and Reports of a 'Gay Lobby' in the Roman Curia Read More
Pope Francis Refers to 'gay lobby' inside Vatican Read More
Why Catholics Have Failed Our Culture: The Bottom Line Read More
Daily Readings
Reading 1, Second Corinthians 8:1-9
Next, brothers, we will tell you of the grace of God which has ... Read More
Psalm, Psalms 146:2, 5-6, 7, 8-9
I will praise Yahweh all my life, I will make music to my God ... Read More
Gospel, Matthew 5:43-48
'You have heard how it was said, You will love your neighbour ... Read More
Saint of the Day
St. Gregory Barbarigo
June 18: St. Gregory Barbarigo was born in 1625, of a very old and ... Read More
Latest Videos
Pope Francis: Forgiveness enriches us View Video
Zanies Comedy Club - Comedian Sally Edwards View Video
Jun 18 - Homily - Fr. Benedict: St. Ephrem - Mary's Own Singer View Video
Jun 18 - Homily: Love those who Persecute us View Video
Pope Francis: Let us pray for our enemies! View Video
Marketplace
Volume Seven: Greetings from Heaven
The saints who have gone before us want to help us during this time. ... Read More
Saint Francis Bronze Canvas Print
Saint Francis Bronze Canvas (MADE IN USA) - Printed on truly museum ... Read More
St. Hilary, please continue to pray for me to remain firm in my faith and not to be moved by adverse situations caused by people within the church itself, that are occasions to test my faith.
St. Hilary of Poitiers, I thank you for your steadfast courage and witness of the truth. Please pray for us miserable sinners in the United States and the world-and for a safe "journey" home to the truth-Please pray for the "Roe vs. Wade" decision to be overturned-let all of our elected/selected leaders and judges not be able to sleep or rest at all -until they formally put an end to "legal abortion"-Let us turn from our evil ways and repent. Let us learn to live in the abundance that is God's love. May the Lord have mercy on every one of us.
Please pray for Jacob that he finds the right path and that he finds peace within himself, for his mother that the doctors can slow the progressin of her disease and for all cancer patients that they deal with our disease with grace and dignity. Thank you.
Dear Saint,
Teach me to understand the purpose of this life on earth as you searched and finally found. Enable me to become a true christian who is willing to do anything for the love of Christ. Strengthen me to bear my struggles silently for the glory of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
I just want to say Thank You :)
St.Hilary of Poitiers great saint god bless us all
I ask you two pray for me and my family
Amen
Saint Hilary,
My friend got bit by a snake on a hike can you help her.
Signed,
Hannah
Dear St. Hilary, please pray for me to be fully dependent upon God and not upon trancient objectives.
This article on St Hilary of Poitiers illustrates that Christianity is relevant for all times. There are intelligent people who criticize the Christian Faith and dismiss it as irrelevant in the modern world. But every era in mankind's history has had its periods of modernity and innovation. These periods in history have made men of faith re-examine the way the Faith is presented and lived. We, Catholics, have great examples, on how the Faith is lived and proclaimed, in the Saints. One of these Saints is St Hilary. St Hilary's life and work illustrate to me that we have to deal with the issues we face today and should not be afraid of moments of doubt and darkness while simultaneously holding on to the personal relationship with God through our Lord, Jesus Christ.
St Hilary pray for all mankind today and help men of faith to persevere even when it appears that we are getting nowhere in the practice of the Faith.
St. Hilary of Poitiers, I thank God for granting so many gifts to my beloved family. I see God's mercy flowing, gushing forth in abundance, soothing me. I feel emotional....You grant healing to my aged mother. She is peaceful and grateful to you for her life and her family. Her sweet words are comfort to the living. Oh my beloved Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I cannot express my thanks fully. I desire to love you, Jesus, daily more and more.
Please continue to pray that my grandson will receive a permanent cure for his affliciton. That he'll be rid of all developmental delays. Amen.
Saint Hilary please pray for us. Help us to bring good out of suffering and isolation in our own lives and see adversity as an opportunity to learn about or share our faith. I've had such a hard time these past couple of months. I don't know how much more I can take. Lord, I'm sorry for doubting you. My faith needs restoration and my heart and mind need peace. Please pray for me. Amen
I just learned St. Hilary today...my faith for Jesus was weakening since last year and reading the Daily prayer n reflection of NSF of the Phil...given to me is an answered prayer Iam thinking its Gods way of helping me to bring back my faith to Jesus and mama MAry...
Dear St. Hilary of Poitiers, we honour you on your feast day. You fiercely and fearlessly combated Arianism. Your battle was monumental, yet it was necessary to preserve the true church founded by Jesus Christ, the only son of God. Pray for our pilgrim church on earth, for our Holy Father the Pope. Give us the desire to see the face of God as He truly is, merciful, compassionate and trustworthy. Help us through your intercession to be prayerful always. To know, love and serve our God. Amen.
I just happen to read about st Hilary today and I found out two quite fascinating things
1. He was a man. ( I always thought st Hilary was a woman)
2. His feast day is my birthday!!!!! I am soo happy!
Dear st Hilary , I pray that u continue to pray and intercede for us, as sinful as we are. Amen!
A great saint who understood and revealed the true nature of God! Dear St. Hillary, pray and intercede for me poor sinner, to be closer to God, as he exist and works in the very holy Trininity; in thought, word and deed.
Thank you for all this info on st hillary, i am a 6th grade girl and i might use him as my conformation name, what is his connection to snake bites? does anyone know?
Very inspiring, but what is his connection to snake bites ?
JMJ
Thanks for all the info!
Saint Hilary is one of my patron saints.
A good presentation of St Hilary!! Congratulations!
Beautiful style. The combination of knowledge and devotion to the literary description.