Saint of the day January 13, 2025

On January 13, Catholics celebrate St. Hilary of Poitiers, a fourth-century philosopher whose studies made him a champion of Orthodox Trinitarian theology during one of the most difficult periods of Church history. He protected the Church and its members by brilliantly defending the sacred humanity of Jesus while also defeating Arianism which denied Christ's placement within the Trinity.

Although Saint Hilary believed in the Divinity of God, it hadn’t always been that way. Saint Hilary was born in Poitiers between the end of the 3rd and the beginning of the 4th century A.D. He was born to pagan parents.

Saint Hilary grew up receiving an extensive and quality education in various subjects, including Greek. He took great interest in the writing of the Old and New Testaments. He was so invested in the writings that he took an interest in the religion and abandoned Neoplatonism for Christianity.

Saint Hilary was held in high esteem so much so that between the years 350 and 353, he was voted Bishop by all of Poitier.

It was at that time that the Arian Heresy threatened to take down the Orthodox Christian Church. Hilary took a stand against the Arians, refusing to let their beliefs be forced upon the people.

One of the methods by which Saint Hilary took a stand against Arianism was by protecting the excommunication. Saint Hilary also sent a letter to Constantius II, a Roman Emperor who backed the Arians. His efforts to convince the Emperor to stop the persecution of Orthodox Christians, however, were not successful.

Between the years 356 and 360, Saint Hilary was banished to Phrygia, somewhere in Ancient Greece, by the Command of Constantius as a punishment for not renouncing in support of Arian’s biggest enemy, Saint Athanasius the Great.

While in exile, Saint Hilary remained Bishop and continued to guide his people. He continued to write while in exile, creating books that would continue to be important to theology in the coming years.

Saint Hilary continued to remain a staunch believer in the divinity of God’s trinity. He continued to attend synods. He continued and failed to secure a chance to see Constantius in order to plead for public debates with his opponents. He didn’t stop until his opponents considered him a threat and had him return home to his diocese.

On his return to his diocese, Saint Hilary continued to fight against Arianism, striving to call out the semi-Arian Bishops in Gaul, Germany, and Britain. In 364, Saint Hilary impeached Auxentius, a Bishop who supported the Arians but, as a result, got exiled from Milan.

He continued to write about his failed attempts against the Arians, with some of his works exposing bishops and rulers who stood in full support of the Arians.

St. Hilary died at Poitiers in 367, after having passed on his teachings and way of life to a number of students, including St. Martin of Tours.

Long regarded and celebrated as a saint within the Church, St. Hilary was also declared a Doctor of the Church in 1851.

Reflection

St. Hilary of Poitiers is recognized as the patron saint of scholars, students, and theologians. His commitment to defending and explaining the Christian faith, as well as his prolific writings, make him an important figure in the history of theological thought. His dedication to education and his efforts to bridge the gap between the Latin-speaking West and the Greek-speaking East contributed significantly to the development of early Christian doctrine. St. Hilary’s intellectual legacy continues to inspire those who seek to deepen their understanding of theology and Christian teachings.
He is highly respected, and his works continue to remain influential in Christianity today. He was a true pastor who burned with a desire that everyone come to a deeper knowledge of the One God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.