Hilaire of Poitiers

See also: Hilaire

Saint Hilaire of Poitiers , bishop of Poitiers, born towards 315, died in 367, Christian Latin writer, Doctors of the Church.

Festival: January 13rd (since the Vatican II, before the 14)

Life

Resulting from the Gallo-Roman aristocracy of the city of Lemonum , very cultivated, he is father when he becomes the first bishop of the city, elected by his co-religionists in 353. Its writings of before its exile are very deep. They do not take again however the least element of literature, culture, theology or Eastern philosophy. All is western world, perfectly orthodoxe strictly speaking, but Western. As in the majority of the Churches of Occident, out of Rome and its circle of direct influence, holy Hilaire did not use nor did not know the Eastern Symbols of the Faith; he discovers the Symbole of Nicée only in 354. In this first council œucumenic joined together into 325, very few fathers of Occident took part and no document of time remains in connection with this participation. A tradition reports that four Western bishops were represented only there, Nicaise of Die (Drome) for Gaulle, Ossius of Cordoue for Spain, a delegation of Carthage for Africa and a delegation of Rome for Italy. This symbol was not diffused in Occident, the powerful works pre-exiliques of Hilaire show it.

In full heresy arienne, he is opposed to the Roman Emperors. He undergoes the exile in Phrygie, voted with the synod of Béziers in 356 at the request of Saturnin, the bishop arien of Arles. He writes On the Trinity ( De Trinitate ), where he refutes the arguments ariens. He exposes his theory to the council of Séleucie in 359, where he remakes the unit between holding of the Symbole of Nicée ( Nicéens or homoousiens ) and the homéoousiens . He contributes thereafter to fix the forms of the liturgy and the worship.

He had as disciples, inter alia, Saint Martin de Tours, which founded in the vicinity the abbey of Ligugé in 360; and holy Cybi, apostle of Anglesey.

It was probably at the origin of construction in Poitiers of the Baptistère Midsummer's Day the, oldest or one of the oldest Christian buildings currently remaining.

Works

It remains of Hilaire saint of the exegetic , theological writings and of the Hymne S.

Its principal preserved work is the De Trinitate , where it defends the consubstantiality of the Son with the Father, against the ariens which deny the divinity of Christ. This work, founded on Greek sources and defending the orthodoxy defined in Nicée, is however completely original in the Latin world.

By its Anthems , discoveries at the time contemporary, it makes work of pioneer, preceding holy Ambroise by Milan. It introduces into the Christian Latin world a poetry inspired at the same time of traditional models (Latin and Greek) and biblical (alphabetical psalms).

Worship

Saint Hilaire of Poitiers was high with the row of Doctors of the Church in 1851, and with that of Père of the Church by Pie IX. The orthodoxe Church regarded always it as Père of the Church and held in high regard. On January 13rd celebrates.

Many places and catholic buildings were baptized name of this saint: to see list of the places containing “Saint-Hilaire”.

Literary references to Saint Hilaire