Editing Hilary of Poitiers

{{Short description|Bishop of Poitiers (c. 310 – c. 367)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox saint
| honorific_prefix = [[Saint]]
| name            = Hilary of Poitiers
| image           = Hilaryofpoitiers.jpg
| caption         = ''The Ordination of Saint Hilary'', from a 14th-century manuscript
| titles          = "{{lang|la|Malleus Arianorum}}" and the "[[Athanasius of Alexandria|Athanasius]] of the West"; Bishop, Confessor and Doctor of the Church
| birth_date      = {{circa|310}}
| birth_place     = [[Poitiers|Pictavium]], [[Gallia Aquitania]], [[Roman Empire]]
| death_date      = {{circa|367|lk=no}} (aged {{circa|{{age in years|310|367}}}})
| death_place     = Pictavium, [[Septem Provinciae]], Roman Empire
| venerated_in    = [[Catholic Church]]<br />[[Eastern Orthodox Church]]<br />[[Anglican Communion]]<br />[[Lutheran Church]]<br />[[Oriental Orthodoxy]]
| canonized_date  = [[Pre-congregation|Pre-Congregation]]
| major_shrine    = 
| feast_day       = 13 January<br />14 January ([[Church of the Byzantine Rite|Byzantine Christianity]]; some local calendars and pre-1970 [[General Roman Calendar]])
| attributes      = episcopal vestments, a mitre and crozier, and usually white and often long beard<ref name="Stracke9">{{cite web |last1=Stracke |first1=Richard |title= Saint Hilary: The Iconography| url = http://www.christianiconography.info/hilary.html  |website=Christian Iconography | date=2015-10-20}}</ref>
| patronage       = 
| issues          = 
| suppressed_date = 
| influences      = [[Origen]], [[Athanasius of Alexandria|Athanasius]]
}}
'''Hilary of Poitiers''' ({{langx|la|Hilarius Pictaviensis}}; {{circa|310|367}})<ref>[https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2007/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20071010.html General Audience] Libreria Editrice Vaticana</ref> was [[Bishop of Poitiers]] and a [[Doctor of the Church]]. He was sometimes referred to as the "Hammer of the [[Arians]]" ({{lang|la|Malleus Arianorum}}) and the "[[Athanasius of Alexandria|Athanasius]] of the West".{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=458}} His name comes from the Latin word for happy or cheerful. In addition to his important work as bishop, Hilary was married and the father of [[Abra of Poitiers]], a nun and saint who became known for her charity.

==Early life==
Hilary was born at [[Poitiers]] either at the end of the 3rd or beginning of the 4th century A.D.{{sfn|Hunter|2010|p=302}} His parents were [[pagan]]s of distinction. He received a good education,<ref>Bettenson, Henry. ''The Later Christian Fathers'' OUP (1970), p.4</ref> which included a high level of Greek.<ref>Watson E.W. "Introduction to the Life and writings of St Hilary of Poitiers" in ''Library of Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers - Series II N° IX'' Eerdmans reprint 1983, p. ii</ref> He studied, later on, the Old and New Testament writings, with the result that he abandoned his [[Neoplatonism]] for [[Christianity]], and with his wife and his daughter, traditionally known as [[Abra of Poitiers|Saint Abra of Poitiers]], was [[baptism|baptized]] and received into the [[Catholic Church|Church]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=458}}

[[Arianism]] was becoming popular among Christians in this era and this theological position was supported by [[Constantine the Great]]. There were a series of violent battles between [[Trinitarianism|Trinitarians]] and Arians. [cite source]

In 353, the [[Trinitarianism|Trinitarian Christians]] of Arles elected Hilary as bishop as the existing bishop, [[Saturninus of Arles]], was an Arian.<ref>{{harvtxt|Hunter|2010|p=302}} names the date as 350.</ref> At the [[Synod of Arles#Council of Arles in 353|Council of Arles]], the legates of [[Pope Liberius]] refused to condemn Arianism and considered formally opposing [[Athanasius of Alexandria]], who was a strong advocate of Trinitarianism against Arianism. Hilary still managed to secure the local [[excommunication]], by those of the Gallican hierarchy who were his allies, of Bishop Saturninus and two of his prominent supporters, Bishops [[Ursacius of Singidunum]] and [[Valens of Mursa]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=458}}

About the same time, Hilary wrote to Emperor [[Constantius II]] a remonstrance against the persecutions by which the Arians had sought to crush their opponents (''Ad Constantium Augustum liber primus'', of which the most probable date is 355).{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=458}} Other historians refer to this first book to Constantius as the "Book Against Valens", of which only fragments are extant.<ref>"Early Christian Greek and Latin Literature, A Literary History" O'Connell, Mathew, Peabody Mass, 2002, p.252-253</ref> His efforts did not succeed at first, for at the [[synod]] of Biterrae ([[Béziers]]), summoned by the emperor in 356 with the professed purpose of settling the longstanding dispute, an imperial [[rescript]] banished the new bishop, along with Rhodanus of Toulouse, to [[Phrygia]], a stronghold of Arianism.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|pp=458-459}}<ref>Clavis Patrum Latinorun, E. Dekkers, Claudio Moreschin, Enrico Norello, Vienna, 1995</ref>

Hilary spent nearly four years in exile, although the reasons for this banishment remain obscure. The traditional explanation is that Hilary was exiled for refusing to subscribe to the condemnation of Athanasius and the Nicene faith. More recently several scholars have suggested that political opposition to Constantius and support of the usurper [[Claudius Silvanus]] may have led to Hilary's exile.{{sfn|Hunter|2010|p=302}}

==In exile==
While in [[Phrygia]], however, he continued to govern his diocese, as well as writing two of the most important of his contributions to dogmatic and polemical theology: the ''De synodis'' or ''De fide Orientalium'', an epistle addressed in 358 to the Semi-Arian bishops in [[Gaul]], [[Germania]] and [[Roman Britain|Britain]], analyzing the views of the Eastern bishops on the [[First Council of Nicaea|Nicene]] controversy.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=459}} In reviewing the professions of faith of the Oriental bishops in the Councils of [[Council of Ancyra|Ancyra]], [[Council of Antioch|Antioch]], and [[Councils of Sirmium|Sirmium]], he sought to show that sometimes the difference between certain doctrines and orthodox beliefs was rather in the words than in the ideas, which led to his counseling the bishops of the West to be more reserved in their condemnation.<ref name=Clugnet>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07349b.htm Clugnet, Léon. "St. Hilary of Poitiers." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 14 Aug. 2014]</ref>

The ''De trinitate libri XII'', composed in 359 and 360, was the first successful expression in Latin of that Council's theological subtleties originally elaborated in Greek. Although some members of Hilary's own party thought the first had shown too great a forbearance towards the Arians, Hilary replied to their criticisms in the ''Apologetica ad reprehensores libri de synodis responsa''.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=459}}

In his classic introduction to the works of Hilary, Watson summarizes Hilary's points:
:"They were the forerunners of Antichrist ... They bear themselves not as bishops of Christ but as priests of Antichrist. This is not random abuse, but sober recognition of the fact, stated by St. John, that there are many Antichrists. For these men assume the cloak of piety, and pretend to preach the Gospel, with the one object of inducing others to deny Christ. It was the misery and folly of the day that men endeavoured to promote the cause of God by human means and the favour of the world. Hilary asks bishops, who believe in their office, whether the Apostles had secular support when by their preaching they converted the greater part of mankind ..." 
:"The Church seeks for secular support, and in so doing insults Christ by the implication that His support is insufficient. She in her turn holds out the threat of exile and prison. It was her endurance of these that drew men to her; now she imposes her faith by violence. She craves for favours at the hand of her communicants; once it was her consecration that she braved the threatenings of persecutors. Bishops in exile spread the Faith; now it is she that exiles bishops. She boasts that the world loves her; the world's hatred was the evidence that she was Christ's ... The time of Antichrist, disguised as an angel of light, has come.  The true Christ is hidden from almost every mind and heart. Antichrist is now obscuring the truth that he may assert falsehood hereafter."<ref>E. W. Watson, Introduction to Hilary of Poitiers, in NPNF, 2d series, vol. 9, pp. lii, liii.</ref>

[[File:Constantius II - solidus - antioch RIC viii 025.jpg|160px|thumb|right|Constantius II coin.]]Hilary also attended several synods during his time in exile, including the [[council of Seleucia|council at Seleucia]] (359) which saw the triumph of the ''homoion'' party and the forbidding of all discussion of the divine substance.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=459}} In 360, Hilary tried unsuccessfully to secure a personal audience with [[Constantius II|Constantius]], as well as to address the council which met at [[Constantinople]] in 360. When this council ratified the decisions of [[Council of Rimini|Ariminum]] and Seleucia, Hilary responded with the bitter ''In Constantium'', which attacked the Emperor Constantius as Antichrist and persecutor of orthodox Christians.{{sfn|Hunter|2010|p=302}} Hilary's urgent and repeated requests for public debates with his opponents, especially with Ursacius and Valens, proved at last so inconvenient that he was sent back to his diocese, which he appears to have reached about 361, within a very short time of the accession of Emperor [[Julian the Apostate|Julian]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=459}}

==Later life==
On returning to his diocese in 361, Hilary spent most of the first two or three years trying to persuade the local clergy that the ''homoion'' confession was merely a cover for traditional Arian subordinationism. Thus, a number of synods in Gaul condemned the creed promulgated at the [[Council of Ariminum]] (359).<ref>Sulpicius Severus, ''Chronicum'' 2.45</ref>{{sfn|Hunter|2010|p=303}}

In about 360 or 361, with Hilary's encouragement, [[Martin of Tours|Martin]], the future [[bishop of Tours]], founded a [[Ligugé Abbey|monastery at Ligugé]] in his diocese.

In 364, Hilary extended his efforts once more beyond Gaul. He impeached [[Auxentius of Milan|Auxentius]], [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milan|bishop of Milan]], a man high in the imperial favour, as heterodox. Emperor [[Valentinian I]] accordingly summoned Hilary to [[Milan]] to there maintain his charges. However, the supposed heretic gave satisfactory answers to all the questions proposed. Hilary denounced Auxentius as a hypocrite as he had been ignominiously expelled from Milan. Upon returning home, Hilary in 365, published the ''Contra Arianos vel Auxentium Mediolanensem liber,'' describing his unsuccessful efforts against Auxentius. He also, perhaps at a somewhat earlier date, published the ''Contra Constantium Augustum liber'', accusing the deceased emperor as having been the [[Antichrist]], a rebel against [[God]], "a tyrant whose sole object had been to make a gift to the devil of that world for which Christ had suffered."{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=459}}

According to [[Jerome]], Hilary died in Poitiers in 367.<ref>Jerome, ''Vir Ill'' 100; {{harvnb|Hunter|2010|p=203}}</ref>

==Writings==
[[File:Divi Hilarii Pictavorum episcopi De Trinitate.tif|thumb|''Opera omnia'' (1523)]]
While Hilary closely followed the two great Alexandrians, [[Origen]] and [[Athanasius of Alexandria|Athanasius]], in exegesis and Christology respectively, his work shows many traces of vigorous independent thought.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=459}}

===Exegetical===
Among Hilary's earliest writings, completed some time before his exile in 356, is his ''Commentarius in Evangelium Matthaei'', an allegorical exegesis of the first [[Gospel]]. This is the first Latin [[Biblical commentary|commentary]] on [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] to have survived in its entirety. Hilary's commentary was strongly influenced by Tertullian and Cyprian, and made use of several classical writers, including Cicero, Quintilian, Pliny and the Roman historians.{{sfn|Hunter|2010|p=303}}

Hilary's expositions of the [[Psalms]], ''Tractatus super Psalmos'', largely follow [[Origen]], and were composed some time after Hilary returned from exile in 360.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=459}} Since Jerome found the work incomplete,<ref name="Vir Ill 100">''Vir Ill'' 100</ref> no one knows whether Hilary originally commented on the whole Psalter. Now extant are the commentaries on Psalms 1, 2, 9, 13, 14, 51–69, 91, and 118–150.{{sfn|Hunter|2010|p=303}}

The third surviving exegetical writing by Hilary is the ''Tractatus mysteriorum'', preserved in a single manuscript first published in 1887.{{sfn|Hunter|2010|p=303}}

Because [[Augustine of Hippo|Augustine]] cites part of the commentary on [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] as by "Sanctus Hilarius" it has been ascribed by various critics at different times to almost every known Hilary.

===Theological===
Hilary's major theological work was the twelve books now known as ''De Trinitate''. This was composed largely during his exile, though perhaps not completed until his return to Gaul in 360.{{sfn|Hunter|2010|p=304}}

Another important work is ''De synodis'', written early in 359 in preparation for the [[Council of Rimini|councils of Ariminium]] and Seleucia.{{sfn|Hunter|2010|p=304}}

===Historical works and hymns===
Various writings comprise Hilary's historical works. These include the ''Liber II ad Constantium imperatorem'', the ''Liber in Constantium inperatorem'', ''Contra Arianos vel Auxentium Mediolanensem liber'', and the various documents relating to the Arian controversy in ''Fragmenta historica''.{{sfn|Hunter|2010|p=304}}

Some consider Hilary as the first Latin Christian hymn writer, because Jerome said Hilary produced a ''liber hymnorum''.<ref name="Vir Ill 100"/> Three hymns are attributed to him, though none are indisputable.

==Reputation and veneration==
[[File:Saint Hilaire, peint par Pierre-Floréal Crémière.jpg|thumb|Saint Hilaire, depicted by Pierre-Floréal Crémière (1846)]]
Hilary is the pre-eminent Latin writer of the 4th century (before [[Ambrose]]). [[Augustine of Hippo]] called him "the illustrious doctor of the churches", and his works continued to be highly influential in later centuries. [[Venantius Fortunatus]] wrote a ''[[Hagiography|vita]]'' of Hilary by 550, but few now consider it reliable. More trustworthy are the notices in [[Jerome|Saint Jerome]] ([[Jerome's De Viris Illustribus|De vir. illus.]] 100), [[Sulpicius Severus]] (''Chron.'' ii. 39–45) and in Hilary's own writings.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=459}} [[Pope Pius IX]] formally recognized him as a [[Doctor of the Church]] in 1851.

In the Roman calendar of saints, Hilary's feast day is on 13 January, 14 January in the pre-1970 form of the calendar. The spring terms of the English and Irish law courts and [[University of Oxford|Oxford]] and [[Trinity College Dublin|Dublin]] universities are called the [[Hilary term]] since they begin on approximately this date.<ref>{{cite book| editor-last= Cross |editor2-last =Livingstone | editor-first= F.L. | editor2-first = E.A. |title =The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church | article = Hilary of Poitiers, St. | publisher = OUP | date = 1974}}</ref> Some consider Saint Hilary of Poitiers the [[patron saint]] of [[lawyer]]s.<ref>{{cite book|last=Farmer|first=David Hugh|title=The Oxford dictionary of saints|year=1997|publisher=Oxford Univ. Press|location=Oxford [u.a.]|isbn=0-19-280058-2|edition=4.}}</ref>

Hilary is [[Calendar of saints (Church of England)|remembered]] in the [[Anglican Communion]] with a [[Lesser Festival (Anglicanism)|lesser festival]] on [[January 13|13 January]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Calendar|url=https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/common-worship/churchs-year/calendar|access-date=2021-03-27|website=The Church of England|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=For All the Saints / For All the Saints - A Resource for the Commemorations of the Calendar / Worship Resources/ Karakia/ ANZPB-HKMOA / Resources / Home - Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia|url=https://www.anglican.org.nz/Resources/Worship-Resources-Karakia-ANZPB-HKMOA/For-All-the-Saints-A-Resource-for-the-Commemorations-of-the-Calendar/For-All-the-Saints#s|access-date=2021-03-27|website=www.anglican.org.nz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop, 367 |url=https://www.episcopalchurch.org/lectionary/hilary-of-poitiers/ |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=The Episcopal Church |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Iconography===
From his writing St. Hilary's symbol came to be three books and a quill pen.<ref name=hisperia>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sthilary.com/St.%20Hilary.htm |title="Saint Hilary of Poitiers", St. Hilary's Episcopal Church; Hisperia, California |access-date=2013-06-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510232901/http://www.sthilary.com/St.%20Hilary.htm |archive-date=2013-05-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Dedications===
[[Sulpicius Severus]]' ''Vita Sancti Martini'' led to a cult of Saint Hilary as well as of [[St. Martin of Tours]] which spread early to western [[Great Britain|Britain]]. The villages of [[St Hilary, Cornwall|St Hilary]] in [[Cornwall]] and [[Glamorgan]] and that of [[Llanilar]] in [[Ceredigion]] bear his name.

In France most [[Saint-Hilaire (disambiguation)|dedications to Saint Hilary]]<!--intentional link to DAB page--> are styled "Saint-Hilaire" and lie west (and north) of the [[Massif Central]]; the cult in this region eventually extended to [[Canada]].

In northwest [[Italy]] the church of Sant'Ilario at [[Casale Monferrato]] was dedicated to St. Hilary as early as 380.

In southern [[Spain]] the feast of San Hilario is celebrated in the village of [[Comares]] with a Mass, a procession and local [[Verdiales]] dances.

In [[Wales]] the village [[St Hilary, Vale of Glamorgan|St Hilary]] has a Church allegedly dedicated to St Hilary, from which the village is named.

==See also==
*[[Paulinus of Nola]]
*[[Tiberianus (poet)|Tiberianus]]
*[[Trochaic septenarius]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* Carl Beckwith, ''Hilary of Poitiers on the Trinity: From De Fide to De Trinitate'' (New York and Oxford, 2009).
* {{EB1911|wstitle=Hilarius, St (Poitiers)|display=Hilarius, St|volume=13|pages=458-459}}
*J. Doignon, ''Hilaire de Poitiers avant l'exil. Recherches sur la naissance, l'enseignementet l'épreuve d'une foi épiscopale en Gaule au milieu du IVé siècle'', EAA, Paris 1971.
* {{cite book|last=Hunter|first=David G.|chapter=Fourth-century Latin writers|editor-last1=Young|editor-first1=Frances|editor-last2=Ayres|editor-first2=Lewis|editor-last3=Young|editor-first3=Andrew|title=The Cambridge History of Early Christian Literature|year=2010}}
* {{cite journal |last1= Rondeau |first1= Marie Josèphe |year=1962 |title= Remarques sur l'anthropologie de saint Hilaire|journal=Studia Patristica |volume= 6 (Papers presented to the Third International Conference on Patristic Studies held at Christ Church, Oxford, 1959, Part IV Theologica, Augustiniana, ed. F. L. Cross)| pages= 197–210 |publisher= Akademie-Verlag | location = Berlin}}
* P.T. Wild, ''The divinization of man according to Saint Hilary of Poitiers'', Mundelein, Illinois 1955.
* {{Cite book|last=Weedman|first=Mark|title=The Trinitarian Theology of Hilary of Poitiers|year=2007|location=Leiden-Boston|publisher=Brill|isbn=978-9004162242 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9Z8GhJl6BG8C}}
* Alberto Gibilaro, ''Il Liber hymnorum di Ilario di Poitiers. Introduzione, edizione, traduzione e commento'', Milano, Vita e Pensiero, 2023, ISBN 978-88-343-5533-6

==External links==
{{Sister project links 
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* {{Gutenberg author | id=25706| name=Saint Hilary}}
* {{Internet Archive author |search=( Hilary AND Poitiers AND (Saint OR "St.") )}}
* [http://www.catholicrevelations.com/category/saints/the-life-of-st-hilary-of-poitiers-a-saint-bishop-and-doctor-of-the-church-hammer-of-the-arians.html The Life and Miracles of St. Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop, Doctor of the Church and Hammer of the Arians]
* [http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF2-09/Npnf2-09-03.htm Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series II, Vol. IX] St Hilary of Poitiers: introduction and texts
* [http://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/20_40_0315-0367-_Hilarius_Pictaviensis,_Sanctus.html Opera Omnia]
* [http://www.patristique.org See also patristique.org] {{in lang|fr}}
* [https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2007/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20071010_en.html BENEDICT XVI: Saint Hilary of Poitiers] General Audience Wednesday, 10 October 2007
* [http://www.fourthcentury.com/index.php/hilary-chart The works of Hilary in chronological order.]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130502224900/http://cristoraul.com/ENGLISH/DivineHistory/CHRISTIAN_UNIVERSAL_HISTORY/Lives/Hilary-of-Poitiers/Life-Door.html Life of SAINT HILARY OF POITIERS, in BTM.]
* [http://www.christianiconography.info/hilary.html Saint Hilary of Poitiers] at the [http://www.christianiconography.info Christian Iconography] web site
* [http://www.christianiconography.info/goldenLegend/hilary.htm Here Followeth the Life of S. Hilary] from Caxton's translation of the Golden Legend

{{Catholic saints}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hilary Of Poitiers}}
[[Category:310 births]]
[[Category:367 deaths]]
[[Category:4th-century apocalypticists]]
[[Category:4th-century Christian saints]]
[[Category:4th-century Christian theologians]]
[[Category:4th-century writers in Latin]]
[[Category:4th-century bishops in Gaul]]
[[Category:Bishops of Poitiers]]
[[Category:Church Fathers]]
[[Category:Doctors of the Church]]
[[Category:Gallo-Roman saints]]
[[Category:Married Roman Catholic bishops]]
[[Category:Opponents of Arianism]]
[[Category:People from Poitiers]]
[[Category:Anglican saints]]
[[Category:Hymnographers]]