Quotes:Hilary of Poitiers

Zirkoff, Boris

Hilarius Pigtaviensis, Saint (Hilary and S. Hilaire in French; not to be confused with St. Hilarion). Bishop of Poitiers, France. Was born of pagan parents at Poitiers, but became a Christian. Unanimously elected, ca. 353, Bishop of native town. Secured excommunication of Saturninus, the Arian Bishop of Arles, as well as of Ursasius and Valens, two of his prominent supporters, and wrote to Emperor Constantius a remonstrance against the persecutions by the Arians. After the synod of Biterrae (Beziers), 356, was banished to Phrygia, continuing, however, to govern his diocese. From there he wrote his De Synodis or De Fide Orientalium, an epistle addressed in 358 to the semi-Arian bishops in Gaul, Germany and Britain, expounding views of Oriental bishops on the Nicean controversy. His most important work is De Trinitate libri XII, written in 360. After attending the convocation of bishops at Seleuceia in Isauria, 359, he went to Constantinople, focus of Arianism at the time, and through petition presented to the Emperor was sent back to his diocese, 361. In 364, he impeached Auxentius, bishop of Milan, who was high in imperial favors, for heterodox views; summoned to appear before Emperor Valentinian at Milan, he was expelled from that city, and retired to Poitiers. Among his other works mention should be made of the polemical Contra Arianos vel Auxentiam liber and Contra Constantium Augustum liber, and of the *Commentarius in Evangelium Matthaei, the latter written before his exile in 356; this is the most ancient of the extant expositions of the first evangelist by any of the Latin fathers; from its resemblance in tone and spirit to the writings of Origen, it may have been derived from some of his works (Vide Migne, Patrol. Cursus Compl., Series Prima, Paris, 1844, etc., Tomus IX). Hilary was the most strenuous champion of “ pure ” faith among the Latin fathers of the 4th century; his early life is unknown; his efforts were mainly devoted to checking Arianism; he is regarded as the first Latin Christian hymn-writer. Hilary died Jan. 13, 367 (or 368). His works were ed. by Erasmus (Basel, 1523, 1526, 1528); P. Constant (Paris, 1693); Migne (Patrol Lat., IX, X, 1844-45). Transl. by E. W. Watson, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers. Vol. IX.

Source: Boris de Zirkoff, «H. P. Blavatsky Collected Writings», vol. 7, p. 374