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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


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


Name

Hilarius/Hilary, bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367

Saint ID

S00183

Number in BH

BHL 3885-3909

Reported Death Not Before

367

Reported Death Not After

369

Gender
Male
Type of Saint
Bishops , "Confessors"
Related Evidence Records
IDTitle
E00367Gregory of Tours writes the Glory of the Martyrs (Liber in Gloria Martyrum), in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 580/594. Overview entry.
E00371Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Martyrs (5), mentions a visit he made to the grave of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183), and his veneration in the monastery of Radegund of the reliquary of the Holy Cross and unnamed saints; both in Poitiers (western Gaul) in 573/587. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 580/594.
E00674Bishop Nicetius of Trier, in a letter to Chlodosinda, queen of the Lombards (Austrasian Letter 8), describes the posthumous healing power of the Gallic saints *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050), *Germanus (bishop of Auxerre, ob. c. 448, S00455), *Lupus (bishop of Troyes, ob. 479, S00418), *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183), *Remigius (bishop of Reims, ob. c. 533, S00456), and *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168), and contrasts this with the alleged absence of miracles in Arian churches. Written in Latin, presumably at Trier (eastern Gaul), 561/569.
E00692Sulpicius Severus writes the Life of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) in c. 395, before Martin's death, presenting him as an ideal monk, even when a bishop, and as a great miracle-worker and confounder of the devil. Written in Latin at Primuliacum (south-west Gaul). Overview entry.
E01270Sozomen, in his Ecclesiastical History (3.14), mentions *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) and *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) as the most prominent ascetic figures of 'Europe' in the late 4th century. Written in Greek at Constantinople, 439/450.
E02032Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (2.37), tells how, in 507, Clovis, king of the Franks, marching to confront the Arian Visigoths at Vouillé, out of respect for *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) and *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183), protected the property of Tours and Poitiers (both in western Gaul), and received favourable omens from both saints. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.
E02142Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (5.24), tells of how, in 577, Guntram Boso took his daughters from the church in Tours, almost certainly that of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050), and later left them in the church of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) in Poitiers (all in western Gaul); in both cases almost certainly for the protection of sanctuary. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 577/594.
E02177Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (5.49), tells of how, in 580, Leudast, count of Tours, sought sanctuary in the church of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036) in Paris, and later in the church of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) in Poitiers (western Gaul). Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 580/594.
E02368Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (9.40), recounts how rebellious nuns from Radegund's monastery in Poitiers (western Gaul) took up residence in 589 in the church of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183). Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 589/594.
E02369Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (9.42), quotes the letter that *Radegund (former queen, and monastic founder, ob. 587, S00182) wrote in 560/561 in defence of her monastery in Poitiers (western Gaul), setting it under the protection of the Holy Cross, *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033), *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) and *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050); in the same letter Radegund asks to be buried in the church of Mary that she is building within the monastery. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 589/594.
E02385Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (10.15), recounts how, during the revolt of 590, Leubovera, abbess of Radegund's monastery in Poitiers (western Gaul) and some of her supporters, sought sanctuary in the church in Poitiers of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183), and also how people were killed in an affray at the tomb of Radegund (former queen and monastic founder, ob. 587, S00182). Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 590/594.
E02387Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (10.29), gives an account of the life, miracles and death, in 591, of *Aredius (monastic founder in the Limousin, ob. 591, S00302). He builds churches to unnamed saints (S00518), provides them with relics, and founds a monastery in the Limousin (western Gaul). Gregory describes several of his miracles, and refers to his own writings for further miracles of Aredius, effected through the power of *Julian (martyr of Brioude, S00035) and *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050); he bequeaths his possessions to the churches of Martin in Tours and *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) in Poitiers; three women are cured at his funeral. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 591/594.
E02392Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (10.31), gives the list of fasts and vigils instituted by Perpetuus, the sixth bishop of Tours (bishop 460-490), in the churches of Tours (most frequently in that of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050)), the majority associated with the commemoration of saints, both local and international. These fasts and vigils were still being held in Gregory of Tours' times. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 591/594.
E02448Gregory of Tours writes the Glory of the Confessors, in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 587/588. Overview entry.
E02452Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Confessors (2), tells first of miracles at the tomb of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) in Poitiers (western Gaul); then how, in the territory of Javols (southern Gaul), a church with relics of Hilary was built by a bishop of Javols to serve as an alternative place of worship for those who used to sacrifice and feast at a nearby lake. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 587/588.
E02641Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Confessors (52), tells of the tomb of *Theomastus (bishop of Mainz, buried in Poitiers, S01277) in front of the church of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob 367, S00183) in Poitiers (western Gaul); dust scratched from it cures toothache and fevers. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 587/588.
E02645Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Confessors (53), tells of *Lupianus (S01278), a man who died immediately after baptism by *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183); at Lupianus' grave in Rezé (north-west Gaul) the sick are cured. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 587/588.
E04608The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 13 January.
E05409Bede, in his Martyrology, records the feast on 13 January of the laying to rest of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183). Written in Latin at Wearmouth-Jarrow (north-east Britain), 725/731.
E05413Venantius Fortunatus, in his Miracles of Hilary (3), recounts how Probianus, a boy at the point of death, was cured in the church of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) in Poitiers. Written in Latin in Poitiers (western Gaul), 567/569.
E05414Venantius Fortunatus, in his Miracles of Hilary (4), describes how Castorius and Crispius, two lepers from Cahors (south-west Gaul) were cured after they applied over a long period dust from the tomb in Poitiers of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183). Written in Latin in Poitiers (western Gaul), 567/569.
E05415Venantius Fortunatus, in his Miracles of Hilary (5), tells of a girl with a crippled hand cured at the tomb in Poitiers of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183). Written in Latin in Poitiers (western Gaul), 567/569.
E05416Venantius Fortunatus, in his Miracles of Hilary (6), recounts how a blind man was cured when he entered the church of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) in Poitiers, during a journey to Tours (north-west Gaul) in search of a cure at the church of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050). Written in Latin in Poitiers (western Gaul), 567/569.
E05417Venantius Fortunatus, in his Miracles of Hilary (7-8), recounts how Clovis, king of the Franks, prayed to *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) after he saw a fiery beacon coming from the saint's church in Poitiers, and then won his battle against the Arians; all in 507. Written in Latin in Poitiers (western Gaul), 567/569.
E05418Venantius Fortunatus, in his Miracles of Hilary (9), describes how a woman from the village of Tonat (western Gaul), whose hand was paralysed after she worked on a Sunday, had a vision and came to the church of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) in Poitiers, where she was cured. Written in Latin in Poitiers (western Gaul), 567/569.
E05419Venantius Fortunatus, in his Miracles of Hilary (10), recounts how a paralysed girl was healed in the church of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) in Poitiers during his festival. Written in Latin in Poitiers (western Gaul), 567/569.
E05420Venantius Fortunatus, in his Miracles of Hilary (11), describes how *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) rejected the wax given at his tomb in Poitiers by a reluctant donor. Written in Latin in Poitiers (western Gaul), 567/569.
E05421Venantius Fortunatus, in his Miracles of Hilary (12) tells how a burning candle which fell on the cloth covering the tomb in Poitiers of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) did not damage it. Written in Latin in Poitiers (western Gaul), 567/569.
E05422Venantius Fotunatus writes the Miracles of Hilary, in Latin in Poitiers (western Gaul), in 567/569. Overview entry.
E05555Venantius Fortunatus writes eleven books of Poems in Latin, mainly in western and north-western Gaul, 565/600; many of them with reference to saints. Overview entry.
E05683Venantius Fortunatus, in a poem (3.7) about the cathedral of Nantes (north-west Gaul), newly built by bishop Felix, and dedicated to the Apostles *Peter and *Paul (S00036 and S00008), makes a possible reference to relics of the two apostles, and tells how two parts of the building were dedicated respectively to *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) and *Ferreolus (soldier and martyr of Vienne, S01893). Written in Latin in Gaul, 565/576.
E05833Venantius Fortunatus, in an untitled poem (Appendix 21), invokes *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) and *Hilarius/Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) to protect Radegund and her nuns in Poitiers (western Gaul). Written in Latin in Gaul, 565/587.
E05840The Calendar of Willibrord, in its earliest version, records the feasts of various saints in January. Written in Latin at Echternach, Frisia (north-east Gaul), 703/710.
E05955The Chronicle of Fredegar (3.24) describes how King Clovis gave gifts to the churches of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) and *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) after his victory over the Visigoths at the battle of Vouillé in 507. This part of Fredegar's text is based on Gregory of Tours' Histories, but includes material not in Gregory. Written in Latin in Gaul/Francia, 659/700.
E06095The will of Bertram/Bertrand, bishop of Le Mans, of 27 March 616, establishes as the bishop's heirs two churches at Le Mans (north-west Gaul), one dedicated to *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033), the other to the Apostles *Peter and *Paul (S00036 and S00008), which Bertram himself had built; and makes provisions concerning numerous properties across Gaul, including churches associated with various saints, mostly in or around Le Mans. Written in Latin at Le Mans.
E06245Venantius Fortunatus, in a poem on virginity (8.3), when describing the court of heaven lists numerous saints with the cities of their resting-place. Written in Latin in Gaul, probably in the early 570s.
E06249Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (7.6), recounts how *Polyeuktos (soldier and martyr of Melitene, S00325), *Hilarius/Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) and *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) were called on to punish any offender against a pact drawn up between Merovingian kings; in Paris, in 584. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 584/594.
E06463The Latin second Martyrdom of *Leudegar (bishop and martyr of Autun, ob. 677/9, S02098), by Ursinus, records the saint's life, martyrdom, and miracles; the dispute over possession of his body; and his translation from the diocese of Arras (north-east Gaul) to Poitiers (western Gaul). Written at Poitiers, 684/c.750, perhaps 684/96.
E06487Baudonivia's Life of *Radegund (former queen and monastic founder, ob. 587, S00182), recounts the abbess' life, death, and miracles, detailing in particular her collection of relics, as well as wider cult activity in and around the city of Poitiers (western Gaul). Written in Latin at Poitiers, 587/613.
E06713Venantius Fortunatus writes the Life of *Hilary/Hilarius (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183), recounting his virtues, staunch defence of Orthodoxy, writings and various miracles in life. Written in Latin in Poitiers (western Gaul), 567/569. Full text, and full English translation.
E06714Venantius Fortunatus writes the Life of *Germanus (bishop of Paris, ob. 576, S01166), outlining his life, first as abbot of the monastery of saint *Symphorianus (martyr of Autun, S00322) in Autun (central Gaul), and then as bishop of Paris, and listing many miracles. The churches and graves of other saints, particularly Symphorianus, also feature in the narrative. Written in Latin, probably in Poitiers (western Gaul), 576/613.
E06895Will of Aredius of Limoges and his mother Pelagia, of 572, containing bequests to churches or oratories dedicated to *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050), *Medard (bishop of Vermand buried at Soissons, ob. c. 560, S00168), *Martialis (first bishop of Limoges, S01168), Hilary/Hilarius (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183), *Maximinus (bishop of Trier, ob. c. 347, S00465), and *Julian (martyr of Brioude, S00035); the clauses of the will are placed under the protection of St Martin. Written in Latin in Limoges (western Gaul).
E07729Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (1.39), briefly describes the career as a preacher and missionary of *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050) and notes his miracles, including resurrecting three men from the dead. He also refers to the death of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) and states that he too was said to have revived the dead. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.
E07748List of relics and diptych from the monastery of the Holy *Apostles (S02422) and *Martyrs (S02818) at Arles (southern Gaul), giving the names of saints whose relics were deposited in the monastery and the people for whom prayers were to be offered in the liturgy. The list contains the names of all the Apostles, as well as *Mary (mother of Christ, S00033), *John the Baptist (S00020), and *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030), together with four Gallic martyrs, *Genesius (martyr of Arles, S00263), *Symphorianus (martyr of Autun, S00322), *Baudilius (martyr of Nîmes, S00383), and *Victor (martyr of Marseille, S00382), and three Gallic bishops, *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183), *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050), and *Caesarius (bishop of Arles, ob. 542, S00491). Written in Latin at Arles, in 600/650.
E07785Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (10.16), reports that during the revolt in 590 by nuns at the convent founded by *Radegund (former queen and monastic founder, ob. 587, S00182) in Poitiers, the rebellious nuns had assembled in the church in the city of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183), while a servant of the convent had been killed while taking refuge at Radegund's tomb. Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 590/594.
E07839At the beginning of his Miracles of Hilary, Venantius Fortunatus explains that he recorded the contemporary miracles of *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183) to prevent them being forgotten, as Hilary's past miracles had been. Written in Latin in Poitiers (western Gaul), 567/569. Overview entry
E0831535 relic labels at Sens (northern Gaul), datable by their script to the 7th or 8th c., for relics of a great diversity of saints. Written in Latin, perhaps at Sens, or at an earlier stage in their transmission.