St Hilary of Arles (401-449) bishop
Early life
As a youth Hilary, though still a pagan, entered the island abbey of Lérins (opposite present-day Cannes) which had been founded by his relative Honoratus.
Here he had an
education in rhetoric and when he became a Christian, he joined the
ranks of the monks.
When Honoratus became bishop of Arles in 426 Hilary
accompanied him to that city.
Bishop of Arles
Honoratus died after three years,
and Hilary went back to Lerins. But messengers followed him to tell him
he had been chosen as bishop of that city.
Somewhat like St Augustine,
Hilary organised his cathedral clergy into a monastic community, himself
taking part in manual work and helping the poor.
Was he a metropolitan?
Believing that the
authority of a metropolitan had been given to the predecessor of
Honoratus, Proclus, Hilary deposed Bishop Chelidonius of Besançon for
ignoring his primacy. Chelidonius appealed to Pope Leo in Rome, and was
reinstated.
Leo withdrew Hilary's jurisdiction as a metropolitan,
asserting - with the approval of the emperor Valentinian III (425-455) -
the primacy of the see of Rome over the Gallican church: ut episcopis Gallicanis omnibusque pro lege esset quidquid apostolicae sedis auctoritas sanxisset ("that the authority of the apostolic see must sanction whatever is to be the law for the Gallican bishops").
Death and writings
Hilary died in 449. He wrote a Life of Honoratus, which survives, along with some letters and some poetry.
A poem, De providentia, attributed to him, is sometimes included among the writings of Prosper of Aquitaine.
The island of Lerins
Lerins was an important
influence on the Irish church, with a tradition that St Patrick received
at least a part of his formation there.
After World War II, the
Cistercians re-opened a monastery on the island, which remains to this
day.