Guardian of Church Unity

Today's saint was a 5th century pope who liked to make things happen even if it caused "trouble" for those around him.  One must understand that this was a time when those who wanted authority were trying to place the ideas of man before the ways of God.  In bringing the Truth and establishing a Church only recently allowed without persecution was a volatile time.  However, in the end he unified the Church.

Pope St. Hilary

Feast day: February 28
Born: ??
Death: 468
Italy
Pope (461-468)

Little is known of the youth of Pope Hilary; however, he was born in Sardinia, Italy.  Later in life he became a papal legate for Pope Dioscorus I and was sent to the Robber Council of Ephesus in 449, a scandalous council that tried to usurp the authority of the pope.  Hilary barely escaping with his life from this affair.

Pope St. Leo I the Great also used Hilary for several papal assignments. When Leo died, Hilary was elected pope and consecrated in 461. He worked diligently to strengthen the Church in France and Spain, calling councils in 462 and 465. Hilary also rebuilt many Roman churches and erected the chapel of St. John Lateran.

Hilary also publicly rebuked Emperor Anthemius in St. Peter's for supporting the Macedonian heresy and sent a decree to the Eastern bishops validating the decisions of the General Councils of Nicaea, Ephesus, and Chalcedon. Hilary consolidated the Church in Sandi, Africa, and Gaul.

He died in Rome on February 28, 468.