Hilarion the Younger

ON ST. HILARION THE YOUNGER,

HEGUMEN AND CONFESSOR AT CONSTANTINOPLE.

IN THE YEAR 845.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.

On his Monastery, life, and cult, from the Greek Rituals.

Hilarion the younger, Hegumen at Constantinople (St.)

D. P.

[1] The monastery of Dalmatus or of the Dalmatae, most celebrated and most ancient at Constantinople, owes that name to a certain Dalmatus; who, under Theodosius the Younger, The most celebrated Monastery of Dalmatus at Constantinople, having dismissed his wife and children, with one of them, Faustus, betook himself to St. Isaac. Although his proper day is the 30th of May, yet by a common feast with those two he is also venerated on the 3rd of August, where, concerning that monastery into which after the slaughter of Valens he betook himself, it is said, ὃ τῶν Δαλμάτου νῦν λέγεται, "which is now called that of those who are of Dalmatus." More about this monastery and its name-giver see in the most learned Cange, of Christian Constantinople book 4 chapter 8. To some Abbots of this monastery, if not all, there was a peculiar prerogative, that they were named Catholici or universal Abbots, such as in Theophanes, in the 30th year of Justinian, Timothy is said to have died, Ἔξαρχος τῶν μοναστηρίων καὶ Ἡγούμενος τῆς Δαλμάτου μονῆς, "Exarch of the monasteries and Hegumen of the monastery of Dalmatus." Here we set forth a distinguished Abbot of it, Hilarion, it bore this distinguished Confessor under the Iconoclasts: called the Younger with respect to that great Hilarion, who is venerated on the 21st of October. He suffered various exiles under Leo the Armenian, Michael the Stammerer, and Theophilus the Iconoclasts, and several imprisonments; he survived the orthodoxy restored in the year 842 by St. Theodora the widow of Theophilus by three years, and so died in the year of Christ 845.

[2] whom the Muscovites too venerate: The same is expressly read in the Muscovite Synaxarium, which the most illustrious and noble Lord Gabriel Baron de Sparwenfelt, a Swede, made Latin for us from the printed copies, having stayed five whole years at Moscow, and having many things about the sacred and profane history of that nation prepared for the press, as also concerning the Slavo-Russian language itself, and likewise promising much about the ancient Patrons and Saints of Sweden. The aforesaid Synaxarium has thus: Of blessed Hilarion the Younger, in the monastery of the Dalmatae; who after he had suffered much for the images, died in the year 845, under Theodora and her son Michael. All of which agree with what is to be said below; and, as to the cult of this day, they are confirmed from the illustrated Ephemeris.

[3] his chief cult today among the Greeks. The same more celebrated cult passed also to the Arabo-Egyptians, by the benefit of the Greek Synaxaria; whose veneration of the Greeks toward him is testified, first by the Typicon, εἰς τὰς στ᾽, that is, on the 6th of June, prescribing the office to be done Τοῦ ὁσίου Πατρὸς ἡμῶν Βησαρίωνος τοῦ θαυματουργοῦ, Καὶ τοῦ ὁσίου Ἱλαρίωνος τοῦ Νέου μονῆς τῶν Δαλμάτων, "Of our holy Father Besarion the Wonder-worker, and of the holy Hilarion the Younger of the monastery of the Dalmatae": which same title is nearly prefixed to the same day in the printed Menaea, where however there is not even a word about Besarion, deferred by us to the 17th of this month, but the Odes are all about St. Hilarion alone, in manifold ways extolling his Angelic purity, his distinguished abstinence, his invincible constancy, and his frequent miracles; but, what you may marvel at, after the 6th Ode, where the summary of his life ought to be read, even about Hilarion there is nothing, except three verses, two of which are Iambics, such as are wont to be prefixed to the Elogies of the Saints that follow, to this effect:

Ἱλαρὸς ὢν πνεύματι σὺ Ἱλαρίων, Ἱλαρὸς ἐν σώματι ᾖς καὶ καρδίᾳ. Cheerful Hilarion, since thou art cheerful in pious spirit, Mayest thou be cheerful also in body and in heart in God.

There follows from the metrical Ephemeris a Hexameter, no less denoting the prerogative of the chief cult thus:

Βῆ δ᾽ ἐς ὄλυμπον Ἱλαρίωνος κέαρ ἄγνον ἐν ἕκτῃ. The pure heart of Hilarion on the sixth seeks Olympus.

[4] The Life from a Ms. of Dijon I complained, in the Annotations to the Greco-Muscovite Ephemerides, that no Life was found; but I know not whether any other was ever written than the one presently to be given from the Synaxarium of Dijon, where it is had; briefly indeed, but most accurately arranged; and that on the preceding day, on which day also the same is had in the Constantinopolitan Synaxarium Ms., which is kept at Paris in our College there; and also in two others likewise at Paris, of which one belonged to Cardinal Mazarin, the other is possessed by the reformed Preaching Fathers in the street of St. Honoré: but in the βίοις Ἁγίων (Lives of the Saints) of Maximus Bishop of Cythera, and in the new Anthologium of Arcudius, following the Menaea and Typica, the present day is kept.

of those wanting in the Roman Martyrology: but if he could have read them with his own eyes, out of the monastery of the Dalmatae, or rather of Dalmatus, he would not have made Dalmatia; nor would he have so laboriously dwelt on describing this in his Notes: nor would he have said that the Greeks in their Menologium and Anthologium relate the admirable life of Hilarion, which is very far from the truth, as we have seen. If the Epistles of St. Theodore the Studite, long ago promised and more laboriously begun to be collected by our James Sirmond, should at some time see the light; we shall probably find some inscribed to St. Hilarion: would that someone might bring forth from somewhere both a fuller Life and miracles: now what we have and alone can give, receive.

A LIFE COLLECTED IN SUMMARY.

From the Ms. Synaxarium of Dijon.

Hilarion the younger, Hegumen at Constantinople (St.)

BY D. P. THE AUTHOR

This blessed Hilarion had for father indeed Peter

[2] When he had governed Christ's flock for eight years in imitation of Christ, Leo of the bestial name having seized the scepters of the Empire, and having pulled down the holy images, this man too being brought to the palace, was urged by persuasive speech, as the abominable one thought, and by promises, no more to turn away from the holy images. But he, refuting him, and calling him atheist and a new Apostate, moved him to no small wrath. And then indeed, threatening the blessed man with many and unbearable punishments, he had him shut up; and after some time, summoning him again, and going over the same things as before, he handed him to the Patriarch of his own mind and likewise of like impiety, who, shutting him up in a dark prison, kept him for many days, having allowed neither bread, nor water, nor any other thing to be given him. His disciples, having learned this, came to the Emperor, saying: O Emperor, give us back our Pastor; and before long we promise that thy will shall be fulfilled. And he, deceived by their promise, gave them the Saint with haste. And the Saint, having spent a long time in the monastery, and having taken a little relief from his misery and famine, the Emperor was made foolish, awaiting the promise upon this; but knowing that he had been mocked, he punished the Monks, and put the Saint in prison.

[3] Then thus, having sent him to the monastery of the Murderer along the Strait, he kept him shut in prison for six months, the Pastor of the monastery being a terrible and inexorable and harsh man. And again, the Saint being brought to the palaces, the one of the bestial name tried to trip him up with flatteries; but not being heeded, he commanded him to be held in prison and ill-treated in the monastery of Cyclobion; and after two years and six months, he commanded him to be shut in the prison of the Numera. And from this, having first scourged him severely, he banished him to the fortress of Protilion. But when the sword had driven out the soul of that wretched one in the temple, where he had first taken down the holy image of Christ; Michael the Stammerer took up the Empire. Then the one released was entertained by a certain faithful woman in her own house, for seven years. She therefore having tirelessly ministered to him, and Theophilus having become Emperor, and having gathered all the Confessors, the blessed Hilarion was examined whether he obeyed the imperial

command. And he, refuting him the more, as atheist and deceiver, on this account, having received a hundred and seventeen lashes on the back, was banished to the island of Aphusia. And having hewn out there a very narrow little cell, and having passed in it eight years, and Theophilus having died, his consort Theodora, having gathered together in the reigning city all the Confessors who were in exile, strengthened orthodoxy, by the restoration and veneration of the holy images. And this man too being released, recovered his monastery, flashing with miracles. And having survived three years from then, and guiding his disciples in a God-pleasing and God-acceptable manner, he departed to the Lord, being seventy years of age.

This blessed Hilarion had for father indeed Peter the Cappadocian, but for mother Theodosia, Born of noble and pious parents, both pious and worshipers of God; and moreover known to the Emperor, in that his father supplied bread to the Royal table. The holy man being thus begotten of them and weaned, was diligently instructed in the sacred letters. And when he was now of twenty a years, leaving, according to the Gospel, father and mother, home, and riches, he made himself a Monk at Byzantium in the monastery of b Xerokepion. Thence translated to the monastery of Dalmatus, he took the great and angelic and holy Habit. And endowed with much modesty, obedience, and humility, and made a Monk, he served in the garden ten years; and composing his soul, so that it should shine like the sun, he was made worthy also to be called driven out an impure demon from a certain young man, his Hegumen had him ordained Priest even against his will. He departing from the living, he is ordained Priest and Hegumen: in haste that man, withdrawing himself, crossed over into the lesser Asia about the Propontis c, and to the monastery of the Cathari fled. That matter could not long be hidden from the Monks: but they soon announced it to the then most holy Patriarch d Nicephorus, who carried it to the Emperor of the same name, and they sent men to lead him back. Then indeed, persuaded by the Emperor's exhortations, he was made Hegumen and Archimandrite, according to the rites ordained there by a e Synod.

[2] Now he had governed Christ's flock for eight years after Christ's example; when Leo of the bestial-named appellation came to the scepters of the Empire, the holy images being abolished by Leo the Armenian and began to wish the sacred Images abolished. Drawn therefore also himself to the Palace f, he was urged by much wordiness, to which that execrable man was accustomed, and by promises, no longer to come to venerate the sacred Images: but refuting him, calling him an atheist and a new Apostate, he stirred him to vehement wrath. And then indeed that man, threatening many and unbearable torments, had the Saint shut up: but after some time, handed to the Pseudo-patriarch he is tortured with starvation; commanding him again to be brought before him, and hearing the same things from him as before; he handed him to the Patriarch g of the same mind and impiety with himself: who, shutting him in a dark prison, kept him for many days, commanding that neither bread, nor water, nor anything be given him. When his disciples had learned this, they came to the Emperor, saying; O Emperor, give us back our Pastor, and we promise thee, that shortly thy will shall be fulfilled. He, deceived by such a promise of theirs, but cunningly freed by his own, handed the Saint to them at once. And this man indeed, staying for a longer time in the monastery, was not a little recreated from the troubles and famine which he had endured; but the Emperor was frustrated awaiting the fulfillment of the promise, until he learned that he was being mocked: wherefore he both began to persecute the Monks, and again consigned the Saint to prison.

[3] Afterward the Emperor sent him to the monastery of the Murderer, which is near h the Strait, and there held him shut for six months, under the Pastor of the monastery, indeed, brought to the Palaces, the savage one tried with blandishments to overthrow him; but seeing that he profited nothing in him, he sent him away to the monastery of i Cyclobion; and there ordered him to be kept bound and held in misery. Thence indeed, after two years and six months, he ordered him to be transferred to the prison k of the Numera: and from here, but first atrociously cudgeled, to the fortress of Protilion. And when a sword had driven out the soul of that wretched man in the temple l, whence he had first taken away the holy image of Christ; under Michael the Stammerer Michael the Stammerer took up the Empire. Then the Saint, loosed from his bonds, received lodging with a certain faithful woman in her own house: who, while she diligently ministered to him for all seven years, and Theophilus having obtained the Empire was required, and under Theophilus he suffered exile, whether he would obey the Imperial mandate. But he rebuked him, as impious and a deceiver: wherefore, a hundred and seventeen blows being received on his back, he was banished to the island of Aphusia n: where he built himself a very narrow little cell of stones, he is recalled by St. Theodora, and in it passed eight years. And Theophilus being dead, his wife o Theodora, all the Confessors being recalled from everywhere from exile, summoning them to the royal city, sanctioned the restoration of the sacred images and their adoration. and dies at the age of 70. Hilarion therefore also dismissed, returned to his own monastery, and shone with many miracles in it: surviving three years, and governing his disciples by instructing them according to God, he migrated to the Lord, in the seventieth year of his age.

NOTES OF D. P.

and by that name was called also a Legion, destined to render attendance or escort to the Emperor: which, because it was wont to be set as a garrison in that part of Asia Minor whose Metropolis is Nicaea, the chief cities are Coloe, Dorylaeum, Medaeum, Apamea, Lampsacus, Cyzicus, and Abydus, or the Province adjoining the Propontis to the east and south, embracing Bithynia and Mysia; this also in St. Nicephorus the Patriarch of Constantinople is called χώρα τοῦ λεγομένου Ὀψικίου, "the Region of that legion which from Attendance has its name," as Cange learnedly observes on this word: but in what place precisely the monastery of the Cathari was I have not yet learned: of its Hegumen John, who suffered similar things in this persecution, we treated on the 27th of April: hence meanwhile it is clear, that it is outside Constantinople, contrary to what Cange thought.

He governed the Church from the year 806 to 828, and the Emperor of the same name reigned from the year 802 to 811: under whom in the year 807 Hilarion ought to have been ordained, since he had governed the monastery eight years, when Leo the Armenian in the year 814 began to persecute the Worshipers of images, as I showed on the Acts of St. Theophanes the 12th of March num. 12 of the Preliminary Commentary.

held at Constantinople, for the ordering of monasteries, of which I fear that no other notice is extant, much less of the time at which it was celebrated.

i This monastery too you may conceive to lie about the Pontus, since it is established by several examples that exiles were generally assigned in that direction, who endured banishment for the cult of Images.