Trusting Jesus When Everything Is Lost | Bishop Schneider

His Lordship's address on the Feast of Blessed Karl, Emperor & King.

Bishop Athanasius Schneider explores Blessed Karl of Austria’s devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, his love for the Holy Eucharist, and the faith that sustained him through family life, imperial responsibility, suffering, and exile. Describing Karl as an “emperor of the Sacred Heart” and a “Eucharistic emperor,” Bishop Schneider recounts his First Friday devotions, Holy Hours, daily prayers, and efforts to teach his children reverence for Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. His marriage to Empress Zita had a clear spiritual purpose: helping one another reach Heaven. When worldly security disappeared, Karl continued to entrust his family and people to the Heart of Jesus. This lecture invites us to follow his example through prayer, Eucharistic adoration, fidelity to our responsibilities, and confidence in Divine Providence. 00:00 Opening sponsor: Old Norwood Wines 00:39 Welcome and acknowledgments 01:22 Giving glory to God through the Holy Mass 01:56 Young Catholics and hope for the Church 02:36 Introducing Blessed Karl of Austria 02:47 Divine Providence prepares a future emperor 03:07 A prediction of Karl’s future sufferings 03:53 The scapular and early devotion 04:16 First Fridays and the Holy Hour 04:40 Karl and Zita: helping each other reach Heaven 05:05 Zita’s audience with St. Pius X 05:36 Wedding rings and Our Lady’s protection 05:58 The consecration of October 2, 1918 06:27 Otto’s First Holy Communion 06:45 Entrusting family and empire to the Sacred Heart 07:02 Renewing the family’s consecration 07:14 Devotion to the Sacred Heart and the Eucharist 07:30 Teaching children Eucharistic reverence 07:55 Trust in Jesus during exile 08:26 The Sacred Heart at work and bedside 08:45 Confidence expressed in letters 09:19 Encouragement for those in distress 09:32 A life marked by the cross 09:50 Karl’s daily prayers and devotions 10:10 Entrusting his children to Jesus 10:39 Trust during his final illness 10:49 Final words to Zita and the Holy Name of Jesus 11:19 Christ’s Kingship and the good of society 11:57 The apostolic king and Hungary’s Holy Crown 12:24 The symbolism of the inclined cross 12:49 Honoring Christ and His royal Heart 13:17 Jesus Christ: the only foundation 14:06 Following Karl’s example 14:31 Becoming apostles of the Sacred Heart 15:07 Closing invocation 15:31 Sponsor: St. Michael Comics 15:47 Sponsor: Real Estate for Life SPEAKER Bishop Athanasius Schneider Blessed Karl of Austria, pray for us. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee.

St Celine, Mother of St Remigius: Butler's Lives of the Saints

Vespers of Wednesday In Pentecostide

From the Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem. You may follow the Office at Divinum Officium.

Summa Contra Gentiles, Book III: XXI Things Have Natural Tendency To Be Like God in That He Is a Cause

From Contemplating History

Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 7 March 1274), was a Doctor of the Church, Philosopher, Theologian, Jurist, Dominican Friar, and Priest. Known as Doctor Angelicus "Angelic Doctor," and the Doctor Communis "Universal Doctor" his writings serve as a defense and proof of the validity of Christ's authority over all. The Summa contra Gentiles (also known as Liber de veritate catholicae fidei contra errores infidelium, "Book on the truth of the Catholic faith against the errors of the unbelievers"). The Summa contra Gentiles consists of four books. The structure of Saint Thomas's work is designed to proceed from general philosophical arguments for monotheism, to which Muslims and Jews are likely to consent even within their own respective religious traditions, before progressing to the discussion of specifically Christian doctrine.

Book III discusses providence and the human condition, that is good and evil acts, human fate and intellect and the relation of created beings to the creator. Whether you are a history enthusiast, a student of religion, or simply curious about the impact of the Roman Catholic Church on the world, this playlist is designed to provide an informative and engaging journey through its captivating past. Subscribe to the Contemplating History channel for more educational content and immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of history.

Nick Bostrom, PhD, on Superintelligence and the Future of AI

From Closer to Truth, a secular source.

Philosopher Nick Bostrom discusses his new book, "Deep Utopia: Life and Meaning in a Solved World", where he asks: In the face of incredible technological advances, what is the point of human existence? Will AI make our life and labor obsolete? In a "solved world," where would we find meaning and purpose? Bostrom's book, Deep Utopia, is available for purchase now: https://shorturl.at/guWX8 Nick Bostrom is a Professor at Oxford University, where he is the founding director of the Future of Humanity Institute. He is the world's most cited philosopher aged 50 or under.

The Holy Rosary

Wednesday, the Glorious Mysteries, in Latin with Cardinal Burke.

Isabel Neville, Duchess of Clarence | Forgotten Women of the Wars of the Roses

From History Calling

ISABEL NEVILLE is one of the most frequently forgotten women of the Wars of the Roses; the multi-generational battle for the crown between different branches of the Plantagenet family, the Yorks and the Lancasters, which took place in 15th century England. Born at Warwick Castle in 1451, she was the eldest daughter of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick (known as the King-maker) and Anne de Beauchamp. This made her a member of one of the most powerful and influential families of the day and a great heiress, but it also left her vulnerable to the changing fortunes of that family as her father’s shifting loyalties upended her life again and again. In 1469 she was married to the King-maker’s first cousin, George, Duke of Clarence who was the younger brother of Edward IV and older brother of the future Richard III making Isabel the King’s sister-in-law. The marriage went expressly against the orders of King Edward though his mother, Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, may have agreed to it. The following year her husband and father were forced to flee England in 1470 after a failed coup against Edward. Isabel went with them and tragically lost her first child on the journey. This baby was either stillborn at sea outside Calais, or was born and died very quickly on the boat. She would go on to have two surviving children; a daughter named Margaret, later Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury who was executed by Henry VIII and a son named Edward, Earl of Warwick, who was executed by Henry VII. Her younger sister was Anne Neville, who became the Lancastrian Princess of Wales through her first marriage. When she was widowed just weeks after the death of their father however, Anne was sent to live with George and Isabel with George keen to avoid her remarrying and taking her half of the Warwick inheritance to her second husband. Remarry she did though, to his brother, then known as Richard, Duke of Gloucester, making Isabel and Anne both sisters and sisters-in-law. Isabel didn’t live to see her sibling become Richard III’s queen however. She died in December 1476 at the age of just 25, probably from delayed childbirth complications. Her baby (a boy named Richard) died on 1 January 1477. This video from History Calling will cover the life of Isabel Neville, Duchess of Clarence, England’s tragic and forgotten royal duchess and will help you with understanding the Wars of the Roses.

Are Catholicism and Science Compatible?

From the Archdiocese of Southwark

"Is the Catholic Church really against science? Fr Joseph Gulliford explains why faith and reason are not rivals but two wings of the same flight, and why it is no coincidence that a Catholic priest first proposed the Big Bang theory." Ambassadors for Christ is a Catholic apologetics project, designed to equip you with a deeper understanding of your faith so you can confidently answer questions and be a joyful witness for the Lord Jesus and his Church.

This Polish Archbishop Refused To Live in a Palace

His Feast was yesterday. He ought to be a role model for many bishops today who live in palatial homes and ride in expensive cars with a driver.

From Aleteia

By Philip Kosloski

He also only wore his archbishop's clothing during liturgical ceremonies, keeping to his simple Franciscan robes for the rest of the time.

Throughout history, bishops and cardinals in certain regions of the world were typically offered lavish palaces to live in. They were seen as equal to royalty, and so were treated in a similar way.

While there is nothing inherently wrong with living in a palace or a castle, the truth is that many temptations can come along with it. Unfortunately many bishops used such wealth and status in an improper way and would look down upon the people they were ordained to serve.

Instead of being shepherds, they became "hirelings."

Thankfully God has inspired a number of holy bishops who did not succumb to such temptations and who strove to lead lives of holiness in their realm of influence.

Bl. James Strepa

Once such example is Bl. James Strepa (Jakub Strzemię), who lived in 14th-century Poland and became acquainted with Queen Jadwiga and King Władysław Jagiełło. They greatly esteemed his counsel and so wished to reward him for it.

He was shortly thereafter appointed as Archbishop of Halicz-Lviv, and Queen Jadwiga wanted to give him a palace to live in. It was a marvelous estate in the heart of the city that most bishops would have dreamed of living in.

Yet, Bl. James stuck to his Franciscan vows and chose to live in a modest wooden house on the outskirts of the city.

He also deliberately wore his Franciscan habit at all times, except when conducting liturgies that required him to wear certain vestments according to his ordination as archbishop.

In many ways he "practiced what he preached," not seeing himself as part of the royal, ruling class, but as a poor man of the Gospel.

Bl. James went on to become a highly revered archbishop, promoting devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Virgin Mary. He bought many people to the practice of the Catholic faith and was known as an archbishop with a missionary mindset.

He remains a great example to all bishops and rulers of the Church, showing how not to give in to the temptations of the world, but to live out a life centered in simplicity.

Vatican Cancels Release of Leo's Amoris Laetitia Conference Report

The Worst Public Scandal in Church History Is Now Part of the Magisterium?!

NEVER!!!  Assisi was a blasphemy.

A Vatican cardinal declares the 1986 Assisi conference, which featured idolatry and demon worship, to be part of the Ordinary Magisterium, meaning you and I must submit to it!

Could This Have Changed History?: A Medieval Super Weapon?

From Modern History TV

Jason Kingsley, CBE, the Modern Knight, investigates a modern invention that could have been made in medieval times. A longbow that fires super fast with not much skill. He discusses the Slingshot Channel's Instant Robin Hood, or as it's more commonly known, Instant Legolas and demonstrates its reload speed.

This video showcases an 'Instant Robin Hood' slingshot, a truly impressive custom build. It highlights the ingenuity behind how to make a bow, designed by Jörg Sprave. We explore this wooden diy creation and its practical use, demonstrating how to use robinhood-style equipment in a unique way.

Traditional Catholic Morning Prayers in English | October

Traditional Catholic morning prayers to lay a strong foundation for the rest of your day! The month of October is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I hope these prayers increase your devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary this month, to help us meditate on the events in the life of Christ and draw us closer to her Divine Son, Jesus Christ. Begin each day with morning prayer! This video is a compilation of many traditional evening prayers Catholics say, and should not be considered a replacement for those who have an obligation to pray the Divine Office morning prayers.

The Lost Ark of the Covenant Was Found — And It's Not in the Desert

From Totus Catholica

For almost a hundred years, the world has been hunting for the Ark of the Covenant, and the Bible already tells us where it went. It was seen again, not in a cave, not under a ruined temple, but in heaven, exactly one verse before the woman clothed with the sun appears in Revelation. When St. John sees the ark in the heavenly temple and then, in the very next breath, a woman crowned with twelve stars, is that an accident or is it design? Here is the part almost nobody is told: that chapter break is not from St. John. The chapter divisions were added in the early 1200s. For more than a thousand years, the ark and the woman were a single unbroken scene. The thread starts in Exodus, where God dictates the design of a golden box plank by plank. The Hebrew word is aron, simply a container, the same ordinary word used for Joseph's coffin, yet this box is overlaid with pure gold inside and out and overshadowed by the glory of God. Inside it: the manna, the tablets, the priestly rod, three shadows of Christ. Then Luke uses that exact word, overshadow, for Mary, and the parallels do not stop: the hill country, the leap, the cry, the three months. The presence that once rested over a golden box now rests in a person, and then, astonishingly, stays with us. This week, read Revelation 11:19 through 12 as the single scene it always was, and kneel before the tabernacle in your parish with one quiet line: Ark of the Covenant, pray for us. In this video: • The chapter break that split the ark from the woman was added 1,200 years after John wrote • Three contents, three shadows: the manna, the tablets, the rod • The Luke 1 parallels beyond overshadowing: the hill country, the leap, the cry, the three months • Why Israel never worshipped the ark, and the ring box logic that settles the Mary question • The tabernacle in your parish, and the hidden manna inside it ⏱ CHAPTERS 0:00 The Hunt for the Golden Box 2:22 Aron: The Box That Was Anything But Ordinary 3:29 The Ark Disappears (and the Empty Room) 4:15 Revelation 11:19 Meets 12:1 4:56 The Luke 1 Parallels You Cannot Unsee 6:41 Shakan: The Dwelling That Stayed 8:21 Is the Woman Mary or Israel 📖 SCRIPTURE REFERENCED • Hebrews 9:4: inside the ark, the manna, the tablets, and the priestly rod. Bread, word, priest, three shadows of Christ. • Revelation 11:19 and 12:1: the ark appears in heaven, and in the very next breath, a woman clothed with the sun. • Luke 1: the Spirit overshadows Mary, the exact word used for the glory cloud over the ark. • 2 Samuel 6 with Luke 1: the ark travels to the hill country of Judah, David leaps, David cries how can the ark of the Lord come to me, and the ark stays three months. Then watch Mary. • Genesis 37: the sun, the moon, and the twelve stars from Joseph's dream, the Protestant objection taken seriously. • John 1: the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, the language of shakan. ⛪ FROM THE CHURCH FATHERS & THE CATECHISM • Hippolytus of Rome (early 3rd century): called Mary the ark overlaid with pure gold, with the Word within. • Gregory the Wonder Worker (3rd century): said much the same, and writers in Greek, Latin, and Syriac all saw it. • CCC 2676: Mary is the Ark of the Covenant, the place where the glory of the Lord dwells. • CCC 487: everything the Church believes about Mary, she believes because of Christ. 📜 SOURCES & FURTHER READING • The design: aron means simply a box, the same word used for Joseph's coffin, yet the Greek Old Testament calls even its wood incorruptible. • Jeremiah's strange promise: the people will not miss the ark, and they will not make another. • 2 Maccabees: God hid the ark away, the place unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows mercy. • Josephus (1st century): the Holy of Holies in the Second Temple stood completely empty for six centuries. • The Assumption connection: every year on 15 August, the Church reads Revelation 11:19 through 12 as one scene to celebrate Mary taken up body and soul into glory. 🔗 EXPLORE MORE 🌍 Website: https://totuscatholica.org/ Rosary Guide: https://totuscatholica.org/rosary ✉️ Contact: https://totuscatholica.org/contact 🔍 Examination of Conscience: https://catholicexaminationofconscien... 📚 Free eBooks: https://buymeacoffee.com/totuscatholi... 👥 Become a Totus Insider: https://buymeacoffee.com/totuscatholi...

How St Hilarion Converted a Band of Robbers With a Simple Response

Today is his Feast Day. He was a 4th-century hermit, living in the desert. “Monks were unknown in Syria before St Hilarion,” says St Jerome.

From Aleteia

By Philip Kosloski

The robbers thought they could have their way with St. Hilarion, but were not prepared for what he said next.

St. Hilarion was among the earliest Christians to devote himself entirely to a life of prayer and fasting. He lived with St. Anthony of the Desert during the 4th century, and after Anthony’s death spent the remainder of his life with few possessions besides the ragged cloak that he wore.

Early on, St. Hilarion built for himself a small hut where he prayed night and day, observing some of the most severe penances imaginable. It was at this time that a band of robbers can roaming through the desert in hopes of finding him, thinking that he was hiding something of value.

St. Jerome writes in his Life of St. Hilarion about this episode, and how the robbers were immediately stunned by what they discovered.

While still living in the hut, at the age of eighteen, robbers came to him by night, either supposing that he had something which they might carry off, or considering that they would be brought into contempt if a solitary boy felt no dread of their attacks. They searched up and down between the sea and the marsh from evening until daybreak without being able to find his resting place. Then, having discovered the boy by the light of day they asked him, half in jest, What would you do if robbers came to you? He replied, He that has nothing does not fear robbers. Said they, At all events, you might be killed. I might, said he, I might; and therefore I do not fear robbers because I am prepared to die. Then they marveled at his firmness and faith, confessed how they had wandered about in the night, and how their eyes had been blinded, and promised to lead a stricter life in the future.

This response was entirely unexpected and jolted them from their sinful ways.

Often robbers thrive on creating fear in others and it fuels their pride. St. Hilarion took the wind out of their sails and revealed to them that there is more to this life than possessions. He pointed to an alternative way of looking at the world, with an unwavering confidence in God and the promise of Heaven.

This episode can help us examine our lives, as we imagine a similar situation. Are we afraid of losing our possessions? Does death frighten us? How much do we trust God?

May St. Hilarion intercede for us and help us value what truly matters in this world.

Building for Eternity: The Return of Medieval Craftsmanship

From Purely Catholic

Can ancient craftsmanship revive modern spiritual life? Let’s explore how Catholic communities around the world are turning back the clock…ditching modern industrial construction in favor of medieval building techniques like hand-carved stone, timber framing, and lime mortar. From the Carmelites of Wyoming to the Benedictines of Oklahoma, a quiet movement is underway…reminding us of the deep spiritual power of hard work offered in the name of Jesus Christ.

St Hilarion the Great, Abbot ~ A Bi-Ritual Saint

Both the Western and Eastern Churches celebrate St Hilarion, called 'the Great' in the East, today. Here is his story from both traditions.

From the West:

From the Catholic Encyclopedia 

Founder of anchoritic life in Palestine; born at Tabatha, south of Gaza, Palestine, about 291; died in the island of Cyprus about 371. The chief source of information regarding him is the biography written by St. Jerome (P.L. XXIII, 29-54). In the introduction Jerome mentions a letter from St. Epiphanius, Archbishop of Salamis, in regard to the life of Hilarion whom Epiphanius had known personally during the hermit's later years. The letter is not extant. A newly discovered life has been edited by Papadopulos-Kerameus (Analekta Ierosolymikes Stachyologias, V, 1898). Some special circumstances regarding Hilarion are related by the ecclesiastical historian, Sozomen, from oral traditions handed down by Hilarion's disciples; among others that Sozomen's grandfather and another relative were converted to Christianity by Hilarion (Hist. Eccl., V. xv).

Hilarion was the son of pagan parents. The date of his birth is ascertained from the statement of Jerome (Vita, c. xxv), that Hilarion, at the death of Anthony (356), was 65 years old. As a boy Hilarion's parents sent him to Alexandria to be educated in its schools. Here he became a Christian, and at the age of fifteen, attracted by the renown of the anchorite, St. Anthony, he retired to the desert. After two months of personal intercourse with the great "Father of Anchorites", Hilarion resolved to devote himself to the ascetic life of a hermit. He returned home, divided his fortune among the poor, and then withdrew to a little hut in the desert of Majuma, near Gaza, where he led a life similar to that of St. Anthony. His clothing consisted of a hair shirt, an upper garment of skins, and a short shepherd's cloak; he fasted rigorously, not partaking of his frugal meal until after sunset, and supported himself by weaving baskets. The greater part of his time was devoted to religious exercises. Miraculous cures and exorcisms of demons which he performed spread his fame in the surrounding country, so that in 329 numerous disciples assembled round him. Many heathens were converted, and people came to seek his help and counsel in such great numbers that he could hardly find time to perform his religious duties. This induced him to bid farewell to his disciples and to return to Egypt about the year 360. Here he visited the places where St. Anthony had lived and the spot where he had died. On the journey thither, he met Dracontius and Philor, two bishops banished by the Emperor Constantius. Hilarion then went to dwell at Bruchium, near Alexandria, but hearing that Julian the Apostate had ordered his arrest, he retired to an oasis in the Libyan desert. Later on he journeyed to Sicily and for a long time lived as a hermit near the promontory of Pachinum. His disciple, Hesychius, who had long sought him, discovered him here and soon Hilarion saw himself again surrounded by disciples desirous of following his holy example.

Leaving Sicily, he went to Epidaurus in Dalmatia, where, on the occasion of a great earthquake (366), he rendered valuable assistance to the inhabitants. Finally he went to Cyprus and there, in a lonely cave in the interior of the island, he spent his last years. It was during his sojourn in Cyprus that he became acquainted with St. Epiphanius, Archbishop of Salamis. Before his death, which took place at the age of eighty, Hilarion bequeathed his only possession, his poor and scanty clothing, to his faithful disciple, Hesychius. His body was buried near the town of Paphos, but Hesychius secretly took it away and carried it to Majuma where the saint had lived so long. Hilarion was greatly honored as the founder of anchoritic life in Palestine. His feast falls on 21 October. The attempts of Israel and of other historians to relegate Hilarion to the realm of imagination have completely failed; there can be no doubt as to the historical fact of his life and the truth of its chief features.

ST. JEROME, Vita S. Hilarionis in PL, III, 29-54; Acta SS., October, IX, 43-59; ISRAEL, Die Vita S. Hilarionis des Hieronymus in Zeitschrift für wissenschaftl. Theol. (1880), 129 ff.; ZOCKLER, Hilarion von Gaza, eine Rettung in Neue Jahrbucher für deutsche Theologie (1894), 147 ff.; GRUTZMACHER, Hieronymus, II (Berlin, 1906), 87-91; VAN DEN VEN, S. Jerome et la vie du moine Malchus (Louvain, 1901), appendixes; WINTER, Der literarische Charakter der Vita S. Hilarionis (Zittau, 1904); SERVIERES, Histoire de S. Hilarion (Rodez, 1884); HEIMBUCHER, The Orders and Congregations of the Catholic Church, I (2nd ed., Paderborn, 1907), 115 sq.

From Dom Prosper Guéranger's Liturgical Year:

“Monks were unknown in Syria before Saint Hilarion,” says his historian Saint Jerome. “He instituted the monastic life in that country, and was the master of those who embraced it. The Lord Jesus had his Anthony in Egypt and his Hilarion in Palestine, the former advanced in years, the latter still young.” Now our Lord very soon raised this young man to such glory that Anthony would say to the sick who came to him from Syria attracted by the fame of his miracles: “Why take the trouble to come so far, when you have near you my son Hilarion?” And yet Hilarion had spent only two months with Anthony, after which the patriarch had said to him: “Persevere to the end, my son, and your labour will win you the delights of Heaven.” Then, giving a hair-shirt and a garment of skin to this boy of fifteen whom he was never to see again, he sent him back to sanctify the solitudes of his own country, while he himself retired farther into the desert.

The enemy of mankind, foreseeing a formidable adversary in this new solitary, waged a terrible war against him. Even the flesh, in spite of the young ascetic’s fasts, was Satan’s first accomplice. But without any pity for a body so frail and delicate, as his historian says, that any effort would have seemed sufficient to destroy it, Hilarion cried out indignantly: “Ass, I will see that you kick no more. I will reduce you by hunger, I will crush you with burdens, I will make you work in all weathers. You will be so pinched with hunger, that you will think no more of pleasure.” Vanquished in this quarter, the enemy found other allies through whom he thought to drive Hilarion by fear back to the dwellings of men. But to the robbers who fell on his poor wicker hut, the Saint said smiling: “He who is naked has no fear of thieves.” And they, touched by his virtue, could not conceal their admiration and promised to amend their lives. Then Satan determined to come in person, as he had done to Anthony, but with no better success. No trouble could disturb the serenity attained by that simple, holy soul. One day the demon entered into a camel and made it mad so that it rushed on the Saint with horrible cries. But he only answered: “I am not afraid of you: you are always the same, whether you come as a fox or a camel.” And the huge beast fell down tamed at his feet.
There was a harder trial yet to come from the most cunning artifice of the serpent. When Hilarion sought to hide himself from the immense concourse of people who besieged his poor cell, the enemy maliciously published his fame far and wide, and brought to him overwhelming crowds from every land. In vain he quitted Syria and travelled the length and breadth of Egypt. In vain, pursued from desert to desert, he crossed the sea and hoped to conceal himself in Sicily, in Dalmatia, in Cyprus. From the ship which was making its way among the Cyclades he heard in each island the infernal spirits calling one another from the towns and villages and running to the shores as he passed by. At Paphos where he landed the same concourse of demons brought to him multitudes of men, until at length God took pity on His servant and discovered to him a place inaccessible to his fellow-men, where he had no company but legions of devils who surrounded him day and night. Far from fearing, says his biographer, he took pleasure in the neighbourhood of his old antagonist whom he knew well, and he lived there in great peace the last five years before his death.

To be a Hilarion, and yet to fear death! “If in the green wood they do these things, what will be done in the dry!” (Luke xxiii. 31) O glorious Saint, penetrate us with the apprehension of God’s judgements. Teach us that Christian fear does not banish love, but on the contrary, clears the way and leads to it, and then accompanies it through life as an attentive and faithful guardian. This holy fear was your security at your last hour. May it protect us also along the path of life, and at death introduce us immediately into Heaven!

From the East:

Saint Hilarion the Great was born to pagan parents in the year 291 in the Palestinian village of Thabatha near Gaza. As a young man, he was sent to Alexandria for his education. There he became acquainted with Christianity and was baptized. After hearing an account of the angelic life of Saint Anthony the Great (January 17), Hilarion went to meet him, desiring to study with him and learn what is pleasing to God. Hilarion soon returned to his native land to find that his parents had died. After distributing his family’s inheritance to the poor, Saint Hilarion went forth into the desert surrounding the city of Maium.

In the desert, the Saint endured violent struggles with impure thoughts, vexations of the mind, and the burning passions of the flesh, but he defeated them through heavy labour, fasting and fervent prayer. The devil sought to frighten him with phantoms and apparitions. While he was praying Saint Hilarion would sometimes hear children crying, women wailing, and the roaring of lions and other wild beasts. He understood that the demons were causing these terrors in order to drive him out of the wilderness. He overcame his fear by resorting to fervent prayer. Once, some thieves fell upon Saint Hilarion, and he persuaded them to forsake their lawless life by the power of his words.

Soon all of Palestine heard about Saint Hilarion and of the miracles he worked. The Lord granted the holy ascetic the power to cast out unclean spirits. With this gift of grace he loosed the bonds of many of those who were afflicted. The sick came for healing, and the Saint cured them without asking for any payment, saying that the grace of God is freely received, and must be freely given (Matthew 10:8).

Such was the grace that he received from God that he could tell by the smell of someone’s body or clothing which passion was afflicting his soul. They came to Saint Hilarion desiring to save their souls under his guidance. With his blessing, monasteries began to spring up throughout Palestine. Going from one monastery to another, he instituted a strict ascetic manner of life.

About seven years before his death (+ 371-372) Saint Hilarion moved back to Cyprus, where the ascetic lived in a solitary place until the Lord summoned him to Himself.

Saint Hilarion is sometimes depicted holding a scroll that reads: "The tools of a monk are steadfastness, humility, and love according to God." In iconography, is depicted as an old man with a brown, rush-like beard divided into three points.

Troparion — Tone 8

By a flood of tears, you made the desert fertile, / and your longing for God brought forth fruits in abundance. / By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole universe! / Our Father Hilarion pray to Christ God to save our souls!

Kontakion — Tone 3

(Podoben: “Today the Virgin...”)
Today we gather to praise you with hymns, / O unfading light of the Spiritual Sun; / for you illumined those in the darkness of ignorance, / leading all to the heights of God, as they cried: / “Rejoice, Father Hilarion, rampart of ascetics.”