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St. Hilary of Poitiers

St. Hilary of Poitiers

Born: 315

Died: 368

Canonized: pre-Congregation

Feast Day: January 13

Patron Saint of: snake bite victims

Hilary of Poitiers decided that Christianity was the one true religion after some self study of the books of the Bible. A true leader and humble servant of the Church, he reluctantly became Bishop of Poitiers in c.350 A.D. St. Hilary's conviction about the one true Church was strong and firm. The very powerful Emperor Constantius directed St. Hilary to attend a synod that was formed to condemn the teachings of St. Athanasius; St. Hilary resisted and was exiled to Phrygia. While in Phyrgia, St. Hilary's evangelization was so consistent and so effective that the leadership of Phrygia soon asked the Emperor to send St. Hilary back home to Poitiers. Still in exile for several more years in Poitiers, St. Hilary used his time productively, helping the Church to evangelize in new ways, one of which was though Latin hymns. Some of these hymns are still in use today.