Venerable Hilarion the New, Abbot of the Dalmatian Monastery (6 June)
Saint Hilarion the New was born of pious parents, Peter and Theodosia, who raised him in the virtues and instructed him in Holy Scripture. At twelve years of age Saint Hilarion was tonsured as a monk at the Hesychius monastery near Constantinople, and from there he transferred to the Dalmatus monastery, where he received the Great Schema and became a disciple of Saint Gregory the Dekapolite (November 20).
The monk deeply venerated his God-bearing patron Saint Hilarion the Great (October 21), and he strove to imitate his life, so he came to be called Hilarion the New. At the Dalmatus monastery, he was ordained presbyter. After the death of the igumen the brethren wanted to elect Saint Hilarion to this position, but learning of this, he secretly fled to Constantinople.
Then the monks of Dalmatus monastery sent a petition to Patriarch Nikēphóros, asking that Saint Hilarion be assigned as igumen. The Patriarch summoned the saint and persuaded him to give his assent. Saint Hilarion submitted out of holy obedience. For eight years he peacefully guided the monastery, but in the year 813 the iconoclast Leo the Armenian (813-820) occupied the imperial throne. The saint refused to dishonor the holy icons, and he boldly accused the emperor of heresy, for which he endured many torments. They locked him up in prison for awhile, and vexed him with hunger and thirst.
The impious Patriarch Theodotus, who replaced the exiled Patriarch Nikēphóros, caused the monk much suffering in demanding that he abandon Orthodoxy. The monks of the Dalmatus monastery went to the emperor and asked him to release the saint, promising to submit to the imperial will. After they returned to the monastery, however, Saint Hilarion and the monks continued to venerate the holy icons. The enraged emperor again threw the monk into prison. He gave the saint over to torture with all the means at his disposal, hoping to change his mind.
The wrath of God soon overtook the wicked emperor. He was cut down by his own soldiers in church at the very spot where he had once thrown down a holy icon. The new emperor Michael II (820-829) freed Saint Hilarion from his imprisonment, and the saint settled into a monastic cell. Upon the death of Saint Theodore the Studite (November 11), who also suffered for the holy icons, Saint Hilarion beheld holy angels taking the soul of Saint Theodore to Heaven.
Under the iconoclast emperor Theophilus (829-842), Saint Hilarion was again put under guard and beaten terribly, then they confined him on the island of Aphousia.
After the death of Theophilus, the holy empress Saint Theodora (842-855) gave orders to recall the confessors from exile. Saint Hilarion returned to the Dalmatus monastery, again agreeing to be igumen. He departed peacefully in the year 845.
Saint Hilarion, the fervent zealot for the veneration of the holy icons, was born in 775 and had Cappadocia as his homeland. About 806-811 he became Abbot of the Monastery of Dalmatus (see May 30), but was exiled by the Emperor Leo the Armenian, and later again by Theophilus; he was set free by the pious Empress Theodora, and again became Abbot of the Monastery of Dalmatus from 843 to 845, until the time of his repose.
Hilarion was the abbot of the Dalmatian monastery in Constantinople. He was a disciple of Gregory of Decapolis and an imitator of the life of Hilarion the Great, whose name he took. Hilarion was powerful in prayer, persevering and courageous in suffering. He suffered much for the sake of the icons at the time of the evil iconoclastic emperors, Leo the Armenian and others. Later the Emperor Leo was slain by his own soldiers in the same church and on the same spot where he had first mocked the holy icons and from which he had removed the first icon. St. Hilarion was then released from prison, but only for a short time. Again he was tortured and detained in prison, until the reign of the right-believing Empress Theodora. Hilarion was clairvoyant and had the gift of insight. He saw the angels of God as they were taking the soul of St. Theodore the Studite to heaven. Having pleased God, he fell asleep and entered the Kingdom of Heaven in the year 845 A.D., in his seventieth year.
Apolytikion of Hilarion the New
Plagal of the Fourth Tone
The image of God, was faithfully preserved in you, O Father. For you took up the Cross and followed Christ. By Your actions you taught us to look beyond the flesh for it passes, rather to be concerned about the soul which is immortal. Wherefore, O Holy Hilarion, your soul rejoices with the angels.
Kontakion of Hilarion the New
First Tone
Though cast into the fire, thou wast not burnt, O righteous Hilarion, wise Father most godly of spirit; for thou hadst the dew of Christ God refreshing thee mightily. Since thou hast accomplished struggles far above nature, thou, O valiant athlete, dost rejoice with the righteous; with them now remember us.
Source: oca.org / goarch.org / westserbdio.org
