Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, WA

St Hilarion was born at Tabatha, near Gaza in Palestine, of pagan parents. Sent as a young man to Alexandria to be educated, he learned the Christian Faith and was baptized. While in Egypt he heard of the fame of St Antony the Great, and upon meeting that truly great man, who is the Father of monks, St Hilarion determined to devote himself also to ascetical life. He returned to Gaza, where he found his parents reposed. He gave all his belongings to his brothers and to the poor, and gave himself over to extreme fasting and unceasing prayer at Majuma in about 306 AD where he lived and lived on figs, bread, vegetables and oil, and he made a shelter of reeds, later a very small cell. Because of the miracles which he soon began to work, he found himself compelled by his growing renown in Gaza, to escape from the throngs of people coming to ask his prayers. In his journey he visited Egypt, and came again with longing to the place where St Antony. However, he was not able to remain in any one place for long, since despite all his attempts to conceal himself, the light of the grace that was in him could not be hid. After passing through Egypt and Libya, he sailing to Sicily (where his disciple St Hesychius found him), and eventually to Cyprus. He settled near Paphos, but later retired to a more remote site about 20 km away, where Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis, visited him. St Hilarion ended the course of his life at the age of 80, in the year 372 AD. He was buried near Paphos, but his relics were translated to Majuma.



	St Hilarion the Great Commemorated October 21 St Hilarion was born at Tabatha, near Gaza in Palestine, of pagan parents. Sent as a young man to Alexandria to be educated, he learned the Christian Faith and was baptized. While in Egypt he heard of the fame of St Antony the Great, and upon meeting that truly great man, who is the Father of monks, St Hilarion determined to devote himself also to ascetical life. He returned to Gaza, where he found his parents reposed. He gave all his belongings to his brothers and to the poor, and gave himself over to extreme fasting and unceasing prayer at Majuma in about 306 AD where he lived and lived on figs, bread, vegetables and oil, and he made a shelter of reeds, later a very small cell. Because of the miracles which he soon began to work, he found himself compelled by his growing renown in Gaza, to escape from the throngs of people coming to ask his prayers. In his journey he visited Egypt, and came again with longing to the place where St Antony. However, he was not able to remain in any one place for long, since despite all his attempts to conceal himself, the light of the grace that was in him could not be hid. After passing through Egypt and Libya, he sailing to Sicily (where his disciple St Hesychius found him), and eventually to Cyprus. He settled near Paphos, but later retired to a more remote site about 20 km away, where Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis, visited him. St Hilarion ended the course of his life at the age of 80, in the year 372 AD. He was buried near Paphos, but his relics were translated to Majuma. Dismissal Hymn ((Plagal of the Fourth Tone) With the streams of your tears, you cultivated the barrenness of the desert; and by your sighing from the depths, you bore fruit a hundredfold in labours; and you became a luminary, shining with miracles upon the world, O Hilarion our righteous Father. Intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved. Kontakion (Third Tone) One this day the Virgin As we gather on this day, we sing you praise and acclaim you as a never-setting light of the bright spiritual Daystar. Those whom ignorance benighted, you illumined, with your beams; and you raised unto the divine heights, O Hilaron, our Father, all them that cry out: Height of ascetics, Rejoice!

St Hilarion the Great