E00694: Jerome's Life of *Hilarion (anchorite in Palestine and Cyprus, ob. 371, S00099) presents him as a miracle worker, founder of monastic life in Palestine, and hermit looking for solitude in diverse parts of the Mediterranean; the story ends with the theft of Hilarion's body from Cyprus and its burial at Maiuma (near Gaza, Palestine). Written in Latin in Bethlehem (Palestine), in the early 390s.

Jerome of Stridon, Life of Hilarion

In the preface to the the Life of *Hilarion Jerome refers to a sermon in his praise, written by Epiphanius, bishop of Salamis (see E00697) and also mentions the unfavourable reactions to the Life of Paul that he himself wrote about 15 years earlier (see E00750). The main body of the Life consists of two major parts. In the first part Jerome, its author, briefly mentions Hilarion's childhood in Palestine and education in Alexandria (ch. 2). Then he presents his meeting with *Antony, brief monastic practice in Antony's community in the desert of Egypt, return to Palestine, and the foundation of a hermitage close to Maiuma, the port of Gaza (all in ch. 2). He describes Hilarion's ascetic exercises (chs. 3-5), fight against demons, and above all miracles of many different kinds, primarily healing the sick and exorcising demoniacs (men and beasts) (chs. 7-20). He also presents Hilarion as the leader of the monks in Palestine. The second part of the Life is a story of Hilarion’s unsuccessful attempts to escape the fame of a miracle-worker and his search for solitude, first in Egypt, then in Sicily, Dalmatia (close to Epidauros, modern Cavtat) and Cyprus (close to Paphos). This story is dotted with accounts of further healings and exorcisms, but also miracles showing Hilarion's power over the elements (all in chs. 21-31).

The last chapters of the Life narrate Hilarion’s death and burial in Cyprus, the stealing of his body by one of his disciples, and its transfer to Maiuma, which is presented in the following way:

Chapters 32-33
Quod postquam Palaestinae sanctus uir audiuit Hesychius, perrexit ad Cyprum, et simulans se uelle habitare in eodem hortulo, ut diligentis custodiae suspicionem accolis tolleret, cum ingenti uitae suae periculo post decem fere menses corpus eius furatus est. Quod Maiumam deferens, totis monachorum et oppidorum turbis prosequentibus, in antiquo monasterio condidit, illaesa tunica, cuculla et palliolo, et toto corpore, quasi adhuc uiueret, integro, tantis que fragrante odoribus, ut delibutum unguentis putares ... Cernas usque hodie miram inter Palaestinos et Cyprios contentionem, his corpus Hilarionis, illis spiritum se habere certantibus. Et tamen in utrisque locis magna quotidie signa fiunt, sed magis in hortulo Cypri, forsitan quia plus illum locum dilexerit.

'When the holy man Hesychius heard [of his death], he went to Cyprus and, to lull the suspicions of the natives who were keeping strict guard, pretended that he wished to live in the same garden, and then in the course of about ten months, though at great peril to his life, stole the saint's body. He carried it to Maiuma; and there all the monks and crowds of townsfolk going in procession laid it to rest in the ancient monastery. His tunic, cowl and cloak, were uninjured; the whole body as perfect as if alive, and so fragrant with sweet odours that one might suppose it to have been embalmed ... Even at the present day one may see a strange dispute between the people of Palestine and the Cypriotes, the one contending that they have the body (corpus), the other the spirit (spiritus) of Hilarion. And yet in both places great miracles (signa) are wrought daily, but to a greater extent in the garden of Cyprus, perhaps because that spot was dearest to him.'

Text: Bastiaensen 1975, 142. Translation: Fremantle et al. 1893.