ST. HILARION, THE FIRST HERMIT OF PALESTINE (_c._ A.D. 290-371).
"The solitary life never found so many votaries in Europe as in Egypt
and Palestine. Partly because of the comparative inclemency of the
climate, and the proportionate need of more appliances to support life,
and partly because of the more practical character of the West. As
might be expected, for obvious reasons there have been fewer female
hermits" (_Dictionary of Christian Antiquities_: Article HERMITS, 1875).
During the third century, Eremites (from ἐρῆμος, desert),
or _Hermits_, retired entirely from the haunts of men, and buried
themselves in the wildest and most inaccessible solitudes.
In Palestine, the hermit life was introduced by St. Hilarion, a
disciple of St. Antony.
The first Palestinian convent was founded by St. Hilarion, A.D. 328.
He was pre-eminently a teacher. Every novice was given a special
occupation.
Hilarion was born at Thabatha, a village five miles to the south of
Gaza, _c._ A.D. 290, of heathen parents, who sent him to Alexandria
for education. There he showed proficiency in rhetoric. He became a
Christian, and turning from the attractions of the circus and theatre,
spent all his leisure in attending Church services.
The monastic retreat of St. Antony, the founder of Asceticism,
attracted Hilarion, and he became his enthusiastic disciple for two
months.
Next neighbours to the Church of Egypt, the early Christians of Gaza
naturally imitated the asceticism of Antony, and avowed the orthodoxy
of Athanasius. Hilarion found, however, that his mountain retreat was
too much thronged with followers to suit his taste. At the age of
fifteen years he therefore decided to become a hermit. He returned to
Palestine, and finding his parents dead, he gave away all his goods,
and went to live in a desert spot seven miles from the Christian city
of Mayoumas.
The boy hermit was clad in a sackcloth shirt, which he never changed
till it was worn out, a cloak of skins which Antony had given him, and
a blanket, such as peasants wore.
His earliest diet was a daily fast until sunset, and then a supper of
fifteen figs. His employment was basket-making, after the fashion of
the Egyptian monks. His dwelling was so small as rather to resemble
a tomb. He had resided in the desert twenty-two years when he first
became celebrated for his miracles.
The first miracle of healing with which St. Hilarion is credited was
the restoration to health of three children at Gaza, whose mother
had induced him to come forth from his retreat to see them. Standing
beside their bed, the hermit merely uttered the word "JESUS," and they
at once recovered. On his return to his cell he was so besieged by
other applicants for relief that he could no longer lead his secluded
life.[27]
In his sixty-third year, hearing of the decease of St. Antony, St.
Hilarion resolved to visit the place where the great recluse had
entered into rest, hoping thus to escape from the crowds by whom he was
now constantly surrounded. Resisting all the efforts of the Egyptian
hermits to become their leader, he returned alone to Gaza, but no
sooner had he left them than messengers arrived with orders from Julian
the Apostate to slay Hilarion, and his disciple Hesychius, wherever
they should be found.
During Hilarion's absence in Egypt, the heathen citizens of Gaza
destroyed his monastery at Mayoumas.
During his life of fifty years in Palestine, he visited the holy sites
but once, and for a single day--in order, as he said, that he might
neither appear to despise them on account of their meanness, nor to
suppose that God's grace was limited to any particular place. During,
apparently, this short visit to Jerusalem, a pleasing story is told
of him in connection with his friend St. Epiphanius, Archbishop of
Constantia (formerly Salamîs) and Metropolitan of Cyprus. Hilarion
called upon this Bishop. Some fowls were served up at the table, and
St. Epiphanius asked his guest to partake of them. Hilarion excused
himself, saying that, since he put on the habit of a recluse, he had
never eaten of any animal. "And I," said Epiphanius, "since I put on
the same habit, have never allowed that any one should lie down to
sleep with a grievance against me on his mind, even as I have never
gone to rest at variance with any one." "Father," replied the hermit,
"your rule is more excellent than mine."
For additional information concerning the celebrated St. Epiphanius,
A.D. 368-404, and his intimate connection with St. Hilarion, see
Hackett's _History of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus_, pp. 399-407,
_etc._
"Our Father and Archbishop Epiphanius of Cyprus" is commemorated in the
Byzantine Kalendar on May 12.
At last, in a wilderness near Paphos in Cyprus, death released
Hilarion, this much persecuted saint, from importunities. Almost with
his last breath he expressed a wish as to where his body was to be
buried--without pomp or ceremony. His wishes were respected, but his
friend and favourite disciple, Hesychius, stole his body from the
grave, re-interring it in his own monastery at Mayoumas. A rivalry
ensued between the places of the first and second interments; miracles
were said to be performed at both.
According to Sozomen, his festival was observed in Palestine with great
solemnity as early as the fifth century.
St. Hilarion's name occurs in the Byzantine Kalendar on October 21, as
"Our Father Hilarion the Great."[28]
FOOTNOTES:
[27] For the Miracles of St. Hilarion see Neale's _Patriarchate of
Antioch_, pp. 111-13.
[28] For the chariot race during the life of Hilarion see Appendix I,
on the Circus of Gaza.