Introduction to St.
Hilary of Poitiers
Bishop, born in that city at the beginning
of the fourth century; died there 1 November, according to the most accredited opinion, or
according to the Roman Breviary, on 13 January, 368. Belonging to a noble and very
probably pagan family, he was instructed in all the branches of profane learning, but,
having also taken up the study of Holy Scripture and finding there the truth which he
sought so ardently, he renounced idolatry and was baptized. Thenceforth his wide learning
and his zeal for the Faith attracted such attention that he was chosen about 350 to govern
the body of the faithful which the city had possessed since the third century. We know
nothing of the bishops who governed this society in the beginning. Hilary is the first
concerning whom we have authentic information, and this is due to the important part he
played in opposing heresy. The Church was then greatly disturbed by internal discords, the
authority of the popes not being so powerful in practice as either to prevent or to stop
them. Arianism had made frightful ravages in various regions and threatened to invade
Gaul, where it already had numerous partisans more or less secretly affiliated with it.
Saturninus, Bishop of Arles, the most active of the latter, being exposed by Hilary,
convened and presided over a council at Béziers in 356 with the intention of justifying
himself, or rather of establishing his false doctrine. Here the Bishop of Poitiers
courageously presented himself to defend orthodoxy, but the council, composed for the most
part of Arians, refused to hear him, and being shortly afterwards denounced to the Emperor
Constantius, the protector of Arianism, he was at his command transported to the distant
coasts of Phrygia.
But persecution could not subdue the valiant
champion. Instead of remaining inactive during his exile he gave himself up to study,
completed certain of his works which he had begun, and wrote his treatise on the synods.
In this work he analysed the professions of faith uttered by the Oriental bishops in the
Councils of Ancyra, Antioch, and Sirmium, and while condemning them, since they were in
substance Arian, he sought to show that sometimes the difference between the doctrines of
certain heretics and orthodox beliefs was rather in the words than in the ideas, which led
to his counselling the bishops of the West to be reserved in their condemnation. He was
sharply reproached for his indulgence by certain ardent Catholics, the leader of whom was
Lucifer, Bishop of Cagliari. However, in 359, the city of Seleucia witnessed the assembly
in synod of a large number of Oriental bishops, nearly all of whom were either Anomoeans
or Semi-Arians. Hilary, whom everyone wished to see and hear, so great was his reputation
for learning and virtue, was invited to be present at this assembly. The governor of the
province even furnished him with post horses for the journey. In presence of the Greek
fathers he set forth the doctrines of the Gallic bishops, and easily proved that, contrary
to the opinion current in the East, these latter were not Sabellians. Then he took part in
the violent discussions which took place between the Semi-Arians, who inclined toward
reconciliation with the Catholics, and the Anomoeans, who formed as it were the extreme
left of Arianism.
After the council, which had no result
beyond the wider separation of these brothers in enmity, he left for Constantinople, the
stronghold of heresy, to continue his battle against error. But while the Semi-Arians, who
were less numerous and less powerful, besought him to become the intermediary in a
reconciliation between themselves and the bishops of the West, the Anomoeans, who had the
immense advantage of being upheld by the emperor, besought the latter to send back to his
own country this Gallic bishop, who, they said, sowed discord and troubled the Orient.
Constantius acceded to their desire, and the exile was thus enabled to set out on his
journey home. In 361 Hilary re-entered Poitiers in triumph and resumed possession of his
see. He was welcomed with the liveliest joy by his flock and his brothers in the
episcopate, and was visited by Martin, his former disciple and subsequently Bishop of
Tours. The success he had achieved in his combat against error was rendered more brilliant
shortly afterwards by the deposition of Saturninus, the Arian Bishop of Arles by whom he
had been persecuted. However, as in Italy the memory still rankled of the efforts he had
made to bring about a reconciliation between the nearly converted Semi-Arians and the
Catholics, he went in 364 to the Bishop of Vercelli to endeavour to overcome the
intolerance of the partisans of the Bishop Lucifer mentioned above. Almost immediately
afterwards, that it might be seen that, if he was full of indulgence for those whom
gentleness might finally win from error, he was intractable towards those who were
obstinate in their adherence to it, he went to Milan, there to assail openly Auxentius,
the bishop of that city, who was a firm defender of the Arian doctrines. But the Emperor
Valentinian, who protected the heretic, ordered Hilary to depart immediately from Milan.
He then returned to his city of Poitiers,
from which he was not again to absent himself and where he was to die. This learned and
energetic bishop had fought against error with the pen as well as in words. The best
edition of his numerous and remarkable writings is that published by Dom Constant under
the title: "Sancti Hilarii, Pictavorum episcopi opera, ad manuscriptos codices
gallicanos, romanos, belgicos, necnon ad veteres editiones castigata" (Paris, 1693).
The Latin Church celebrates his feast on 14 January, and Pius IX raised him to the rank of
Doctor of the Universal Church. The Church of Puy glories in the supposed possession of
his relics, but according to one tradition his body was borne to the church of St-Denys
near Paris, while according to another it was taken from the church of St-Hilaire at
Poitiers and burned by the Protestants in 1572.
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