The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world

Name

Hilarion, anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371

Saint ID

S00099

Reported Death Not Before

371

Reported Death Not After

371

Gender

Male

Type of Saint

Hermits/recluses, Ascetics/monks/nuns, Miracle-workers in lifetime

Related Evidence Records

ID	Title
E00217	Fulgentius, bishop of Ruspe, in his treatise On the Truth of Predestination, refers to holy monks of Egypt, whom he knows most probably from monastic hagiography, as examples of saintly life. Contains references to Paul (the First Anchorite, S00089), Antony ('the Great', monk of Egypt, ob. 356, S00098), Hilarion (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099), Makarios (probably Makarios 'the Egyptian', monastic founder in the Sketis, ob.391, S00863), and *Ioannes/John (probably of Lycopolis, anchorite of Egypt, S00102). Written in Latin in Ruspe (Byzacena, central North Africa), c. 523.
E00506	The Piacenza Pilgrim, in his account of his visit to Gaza (Palestine), mentions the tomb close by of *Hilarion (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099). Account of an anonymous pilgrim, written in Latin, probably in Placentia (northern Italy), c. 560.
E00694	Jerome's Life of *Hilarion (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099) presents him as a miracle worker, founder of monastic life in Palestine, and hermit looking for solitude in diverse parts of the Mediterranean; the story ends with the theft of Hilarion's body from Cyprus and its burial at Maiuma (near Gaza, Palestine). Written in Latin in Bethlehem (Palestine), in the early 390s.
E00697	Jerome, in his Life of Hilarion, states that Epiphanius, bishop of Salamis (Cyprus), wrote a letter praising *Hilarion of Gaza (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099). Written in Latin in Bethlehem (Palestine) in the early 390s.
E00702	Jerome, in his Life of Hilarion, describes a pious visit which Hilarion (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099) paid to the hermitage of *Antony ('the Great', monk of Egypt, ob. 356, S00098) in the Eastern Desert of Egypt, during which Hilarion asked to see Antony's hidden grave. Written in Latin in Bethlehem (Palestine) in the early 390s.
E00713	Jerome, in his Life of Hilarion, presents Hilarion (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099) as a monastic leader and miracle-worker, junior but equal to Antony ('the Great', monk of Egypt, ob. 356, S00098). Written in Latin in Bethlehem (Palestine) in the early 390s.
E02524	The so-called Madaba Mosaic Map shows a number of labelled places of the cult of saints in the Holy Land (mainly monasteries). Found in Madaba (Roman province of Arabia). Probably mid-6th c.
E03129	Floor-mosaics with Greek inscriptions from a building, possibly a monastery, sited c. 10 km to the south of Gaza at modern Umm el-'Amr (possibly ancient Thabatha, Roman province of Palaestina I), invoking the intercession of *Hilarion (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099). The site was implausibly argued to have been the tomb of Hilarion. Probably 5th c.
E03169	Fragmentary (?) lintel with a Greek inscription mentioning thanksgiving to George (soldier and martyr, S00259) and just possibly an invocation of Hilarion (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099). When recorded, it was reused at Khan Yunis in the north-west Negev desert, midway between Gaza and Rafah (Roman province of Palaestina I). Probably 5th-7th c.
E03731	The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 6 May Job (Old Testament patriarch, S01191), Pachomiοs (Egyptian monastic founder, ob. 346, S00352), Theodore the Sanctified (ascetic and follower of Pachomios, ob. 368, S01362) and Hilarion (probably the anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099).
E04018	Sozomen, in his Ecclesiastical History (3.14), mentions veneration and miracles at the tombs of Hilarion (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099) in Cyprus and Palestine. Originally buried in Cyprus, his body was stolen and reburied in his monastery in Palestine. Sozomen describes the posthumous veneration of ascetics as common in Palestine, mentioning the mid-4th c. ascetics and missionaries Aurelios of Anthedon, Alexion of Bethagathon, and Alaphion of Asalea (S01700). Written in Greek at Constantinople, 439/450.
E04020	Sozomen, in his Ecclesiastical History (3.14-16), refers to several monastic holy men who were active in Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, and the West in the mid-fourth century. Written in Greek at Constantinople, 439/450.
E04103	Sozomen, in his Ecclesiastical History (5.7-11), lists martyrs and confessors who suffered under Julian the Apostate (r. 361-363), probably using hagiographies about them. These are Georgios (Arian bishop of Alexandria, S01145), Theodoros/Theodoretos (martyr of Antioch, S01382), the brothers Eusebios, Nestavos and Zenon, and Nestor (martyrs of Gaza in Palestine, S01653), Hilarion (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099), Virgin Martyrs of Heliopolis-Baalbek (S01564), Markos (bishop and confessor of Arethousa in Syria, S01563), Makedonios, Theodoulos and Tatianos (martyrs of Meros in Phrygia, west central Asia Minor,S01566), Bousiris the Encratite (confessor of Ancyra, central Asia Minor, S01567), the presbyter Basileios of Ancyra (martyr, S01565), and *Eupsychios (martyr of Kaisareia in Cappadocia, central Asia Minor, S00470). Written in Greek at Constantinople, 439/450.
E05657	Bede, in his Martyrology, records the feast on 21 October of *Hilarion (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099). Written in Latin at Wearmouth-Jarrow (north-east Britain), 725/731.
E06560	Aldhelm, in his prose On Virginity, names *Hilarion (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099) as an exemplary virgin. Written in Latin in southern Britain, for the nuns at the monastery at Barking (south-east Britain), c. 675/686.
E06659	Aldhelm's verse On Virginity lists a range of saints as exemplary virgins, with some variations to the list found in the earlier prose version of the same treatise. Written in Latin in southern Britain, for the nuns at the monastery at Barking (south-east Britain), c. 675/710. Overview entry
E07142	Greek translation of Jerome's Life of *Hilarion (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, S00099). The text survives in three recensions; the earliest is possibly very late 4th century in date. Skeleton entry
E07997	Jerome, in his Life of Hilarion, mentions a demoniac who was tormented at the basilica of Peter (the Apostle, S00035) and got healed by Hilarion (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099) in Sicily. Written in Latin in Bethlehem (Palestine) in the early 390s.