Saint Hilarian

Hilarian, through his knowledge and virtues, attracted the attention of t he illustri Charlemagne Emperor of the Franks and uncle of Saint Folquin. ous Charlemagne: this prince entrusted him with the direction of several schools; and he professed such esteem and veneration for this holy priest that he chose him as his confessor. He had the opportunity to make use of his ministry during the stays he sometimes made at his villa in Cessaneuil, situated on the solitary banks of the Lot. Hilarian thus devoted himself successfully to the work of the moral regeneration of his country, which had long since been converted to Christianity.

But, in that troubled era, one could not promise oneself long-lasting tranquility. The Saracens, having been repelled from the Rouergue s everal t Rouergue Region of Gaul where the saint settled. imes by Charlemagne, often made incursions and caused ravages in this country, even under the great emperor. They established themselves in inaccessible forts, and from there, as from a lair, they would dash in all directions to pillage when they saw themselves out of reach of their conqueror. It is thus that they remained for some time the masters of the territory of Espalion; and, under their domination, religion was persecuted and the priests were dispersed or put to death.

Hilarian did not wish to abandon his people during the persecution; he hid with his mother in some unknown retreat; and from there he traveled to all the places where his ministry could be useful. And if he wished to celebrate the holy sacrifice with greater safety, he often went to Lévignac, only a quarter of a league from the church of Perse, which h église de Perse Romanesque church near Espalion where the saint was buried. e served; and, as he had to cross the Lot, several times, f or Lot River that the saint miraculously crossed on his cloak. lack of a boat, he would spread his cloak upon the waters, and, by this means, would cross and recross the river. Ses enemies often endeavored to seize him, in order to put him to death; but heaven protected him visibly for some time, not wishing to deprive the people too soon of the help of his ministry. One day, even, his persecutors having attempted to pursue him beyond the Lot, were submerged in its waters while crossing them. In this same place, one sees a cross before which the procession formerly stopped, on the days of the Rogations. One also shows, in the vicinity, a rock hollowed out in the shape of a sarcophagus and to the measure of a man, a cavity which is believed to have been formed to receive and hide the Saint, one day when they were looking for him to put him to death. A cross is also planted there on the rock, and the procession likewise made a station there.

It is said that Hilarian's mother, full of anxiety for her son's life, which was so often exposed, would sometimes say to him: "My son, you will end up leaving your head behind on one of your excursions." — "My mother," he replied playfully, "if I happen to lose my head there, I will bring it back to you."

Finally, heaven wished to crown so many virtues and so much devotion with the glory of martyrdom. The h oly priest was Le saint prêtre Priest and martyr of Rouergue in the 8th century, confessor to Charlemagne. one day caught by his persecutors, who cut off his head. The valiant athlete of Christ willingly gave his life for his divine Master; but, as soon as the murderers had moved away, he rose again, took his bloody head in his hands, and washed it himself at a fountain since called Fontaange; he thus comm unicated Fontaange Fountain where the saint washed his head after his beheading. to it, it is said, a miraculous virtue; the inhabitants of that country often come to draw from it.

The holy Martyr, having thus taken back his head, headed towards his mother's dwelling and came to place his head in her hands, as a token of filial piety, according to the promise he had made to her during his lifetime. Others claim that he carried it to the church of Perse. His faithful people buried the body of the holy Martyr in that church, and, filled with the most legitimate admiration for his virtues and his glorious death, they hastened to render him public worship and to invoke him as their protector and patron.

A parchment manuscript, dated 1450, recalls with what popular participation and pomp the Saint's feast was celebrated on June 15. On the occasion of the ravages caused by the plague in 1451 and 1456, the inhabitants of Espalion dedicated themselves to Saint Hilarian.

One can still see, on the two columns of the high altar of the parish church of Espalion, a bas-relief representing the martyrdom of Saint Hilarian and the miracle that accompanied it. This sculpture dates from the 15th century or the beginning of the 16th.

On October 12, 1524, François d'Estaing, Bishop of Rodez, made his pastoral visit to t he town of Espal ville d'Espalion Birthplace and primary site of the saint's veneration. ion and solemnly consecrated the church of which we have just spoken; the official report mentions a relic of Saint Hilarian that was venerated there. The inhabitants of the town took advantage of the presence of their pastor to open the tomb of their patron saint, in order to carry out the translation of his relics to a more honorable place. The pious François d'Estaing wished to preside over the ceremony himself. A procession was organized with extraordinary pomp, and the crowd pressed into the ch urch of Perse, église de Perse Romanesque church near Espalion where the saint was buried. which was too small to contain them. This church, built in the 11th century, still stands and is a beautiful monument of Romanesque architecture.

They therefore proceeded to open the massive and voluminous tomb of the holy Martyr. The prelate carefully collec ted all the bones of the os du corps et de la tête Bodily remains and priestly vestments of the saint. body and the head, which were found enclosed in this tomb, as well as shreds of priestly vestments that time had not yet consumed. These relics, placed on the altar, were carefully arranged by the pious prelate and placed by him in a precious reliquary; he ordered that this reliquary be enclosed in turn in a copper or bronze vessel, and exposed to the veneration of the faithful in an elevated place.

A report from a visitation by the same bishop noted the presence of a relic of Saint Hilarian in the church of Plaujac. The abbey of Souneval, in the Rouergue, possessed a very precious silver reliquary where an arm bone of Saint Hilarian was kept.

Another relic of Saint Hilarian was venerated at Thérondels, where it had been brought by a vicar general of Voyer de Paulmy in 1668, as noted in the still-existing report.

Before the Revolution, an ancient gilded reliquary was kept in the church of Perse, which contained almost all the bones ancienne châsse dorée Bodily remains and priestly vestments of the saint. of a single body, very white and very solid. It is believed that these were the relics of Saint Hilarian; but this reliquary was sold by revolutionary desecrators and the bones scattered to the wind.

Abridgment of the Life provided by Abbé L. Servières, M. l'abbé L. Servières Author of the work 'Les Saints du Rouergue', source of the biography. in the Saints of Rouergue.