Hilary of Arles
Encyclopedia
Saint Hilary of Arles was a bishop of Arles. He is recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic
and Eastern Orthodox
Churches, with his feast day celebrated on 5 May.
of Lérins
then presided over by his kinsman Honoratus (Saint Honoré). According to Ralph W. Matthisen, Hilary seems to have been living in Dijon
before this, although other authorities believe he came from Belgica, or Provence
. Matthisen speculates that he may have been a relative or "even the son" of the Hilarius
who had been prefect of Gaul in 396 and of Rome in 408.
Hilary succeeded his kinsman Honoratus as bishop of Arles in 429. Following the example of St Augustine
, he is said to have organized his cathedral clergy into a "congregation," devoting a great part of their time to social exercises of ascetic religion. He held the rank of metropolitan of Vienne
and Narbonne
, and attempted to exercise the sort of primacy over the church of south Gaul
, which seemed implied in the vicariate granted to his predecessor Patroclus of Arles (417).
Hilarius deposed the bishop of Besançon, Chelidonus, for ignoring this primacy, and for claiming a metropolitan dignity for Besançon. An appeal was made to Rome, and Pope Leo I
used it to extinguish the Gallican vicariate (444). Hilarius was deprived of his rights to consecrate bishops, call synod
s, or oversee the church in the province, and the pope secured the edict
of Valentinian III
, so important in the history of the Gallican church, ut episcopis Gallicanis omnibusque pro lege esset quidquid apostolicae sedis auctoritas sanxisset. The papal claims were made imperial law, and violation of them subject to legal penalties.
Following his death in 449, Hilary's name was introduced into the Roman martyr
ology.
; his extant works (Vita S. Honorati Arelatensis episcopi and Metrum in Genesin) compare favourably with any similar literary productions of that period.
A poem, De providentia, usually included among the writings of Prosper of Aquitaine
, is sometimes attributed to Hilary of Arles.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
Churches, with his feast day celebrated on 5 May.
Life
In his early youth, or the 420s, Hilary joined the abbeyAbbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
of Lérins
Lérins Abbey
Lérins Abbey is a Cistercian monastery on the island of Saint-Honorat, one of the Lérins Islands, on the French Riviera, with an active monastic community....
then presided over by his kinsman Honoratus (Saint Honoré). According to Ralph W. Matthisen, Hilary seems to have been living in Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
before this, although other authorities believe he came from Belgica, or Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
. Matthisen speculates that he may have been a relative or "even the son" of the Hilarius
Hilarius (praefectus urbi)
Hilarius was a politician of the Western Roman Empire.Hilarius is known to be the praefectus urbi of Rome in 408. He is attested in office on January 15 of that year by a law preserved in the Codex Theodosianus...
who had been prefect of Gaul in 396 and of Rome in 408.
Hilary succeeded his kinsman Honoratus as bishop of Arles in 429. Following the example of St Augustine
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province...
, he is said to have organized his cathedral clergy into a "congregation," devoting a great part of their time to social exercises of ascetic religion. He held the rank of metropolitan of Vienne
Vienne
Vienne is the northernmost département of the Poitou-Charentes region of France, named after the river Vienne.- Viennese history :Vienne is one of the original 83 departments, established on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Poitou,...
and Narbonne
Narbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
, and attempted to exercise the sort of primacy over the church of south Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
, which seemed implied in the vicariate granted to his predecessor Patroclus of Arles (417).
Hilarius deposed the bishop of Besançon, Chelidonus, for ignoring this primacy, and for claiming a metropolitan dignity for Besançon. An appeal was made to Rome, and Pope Leo I
Pope Leo I
Pope Leo I was pope from September 29, 440 to his death.He was an Italian aristocrat, and is the first pope of the Catholic Church to have been called "the Great". He is perhaps best known for having met Attila the Hun in 452, persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy...
used it to extinguish the Gallican vicariate (444). Hilarius was deprived of his rights to consecrate bishops, call synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
s, or oversee the church in the province, and the pope secured the edict
Edict
An edict is an announcement of a law, often associated with monarchism. The Pope and various micronational leaders are currently the only persons who still issue edicts.-Notable edicts:...
of Valentinian III
Valentinian III
-Family:Valentinian was born in the western capital of Ravenna, the only son of Galla Placidia and Flavius Constantius. The former was the younger half-sister of the western emperor Honorius, and the latter was at the time Patrician and the power behind the throne....
, so important in the history of the Gallican church, ut episcopis Gallicanis omnibusque pro lege esset quidquid apostolicae sedis auctoritas sanxisset. The papal claims were made imperial law, and violation of them subject to legal penalties.
Following his death in 449, Hilary's name was introduced into the Roman martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
ology.
Writings
During his lifetime Hilary had a great reputation for learning and eloquence as well as for pietyPiety
In spiritual terminology, piety is a virtue that can mean religious devotion, spirituality, or a combination of both. A common element in most conceptions of piety is humility.- Etymology :...
; his extant works (Vita S. Honorati Arelatensis episcopi and Metrum in Genesin) compare favourably with any similar literary productions of that period.
A poem, De providentia, usually included among the writings of Prosper of Aquitaine
Prosper of Aquitaine
Saint Prosper of Aquitaine , a Christian writer and disciple of Saint Augustine of Hippo, was the first continuator of Jerome's Universal Chronicle.- Life :...
, is sometimes attributed to Hilary of Arles.