Hilary the Deacon
Mid-4th century Sardinian Roman church deacon
About Hilary the Deacon
Lived 350 – 398 (aged 47–48).
Hilary the Deacon (; century) was a Sardinian deacon of the Roman church. In 355, along with Lucifer of Cagliari, Eusebius of Vercelli, and Pancratius, he was directed by Pope Liberius to plead for Athanasian orthodoxy before Constantius II at the Council of Milan. He pleaded his case so boldly and offensively that the emperor had him beaten and, along with his companions, condemned to exile. Little is known of him afterwards, except (from Jerome) that he adopted Lucifer's position that Arians, other heretics, and those who dealt with them required a second baptism before they could return to communion.
He is sometimes credited (on doubtful authority) with two works. The first, his Commentary on Paul's Epistles , is often published along with the writings of St Ambrosius; the other, Questions of the Old and New Testament , among the works of St Augustine.
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Important facts
People in Hilary the Deacon's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Hilary the Deacon's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Hilary the Deacon?
Mid-4th century Sardinian Roman church deacon
When was Hilary the Deacon born?
Hilary the Deacon was born in 350 in Sardinia.
When did Hilary the Deacon die?
Hilary the Deacon died in 398.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Hilary the Deacon
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Hilary the Deacon. https://biography.guide/hilary-the-deacon/
MLA: "Hilary the Deacon." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/hilary-the-deacon/.
Chicago: "Hilary the Deacon." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/hilary-the-deacon/.
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