Origins & Early Life

Hilary of Poitiers or St Hilarius (Latin: Hilarius Pictaviensis; c. 310 – c. 367) was Bishop of Poitiers and a Doctor of the Church. He was sometimes referred to as the "Hammer of the Arians" (Malleus Arianorum) and the "Athanasius of the West".

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His name comes from the Latin word for happy or cheerful. Prior to his conversion to Christianity, Hilary married someone, and then fathered Abra of Poitiers, a nun and saint who became known for her charity. Hilary was born at Poitiers either at the end of the 3rd or beginning of the 4th century AD. His parents were pagans of distinction. He received a good education, which included a high level of Greek.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He studied, later on, the Old and New Testament writings, with the result that he abandoned his Neoplatonism for Nicene Christianity, and with his wife and his daughter, traditionally known as Saint Abra of Poitiers, were baptized and received into the Church. Arianism was becoming popular among Christians in this era and this theological position was refuted by the bishops at the Council of Nicaea, under the sponsorship of the emperor Constantine the Great. There had been rigorous debates—even some violent disputes—between...

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