Hilary of Poitiers, St (c. 315–368)

French bishop. In 352 he was sent to the Emperor Constantius by Pope Liberius on a special mission to uphold orthodoxy against the Arians at the council of Milan. He became bishop in 353, but was banished to Phrygia by the Roman emperor Constantius II because of his vehement opposition to Arianism. His feast is on 13 January.

He was born in Limonum (modern-day Poitiers, France). A pagan by birth, he converted to Christianity as a result of his own studies. During the period of his banishment, he visited many churches of Asia Minor and later returned to Poitiers. His most important work is De Trinitate.