Hilary of Galeata

Who was Hilary of Galeata?

Saint Hilary of Galeata is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. His feast day is May 15.

According to tradition, he was born in Tuscia in 476, and he decided to dedicate himself to the life of a hermit at the age of twelve. He left his home, and traveled across the Apennines towards Emilia and chose a spot, according to tradition, pointed out to him by an angel, on a mountain in the valley of the Bidente near the Ronco River. According to tradition, at the age of twenty, he freed a local nobleman, Olibrius, from a demon. In gratitude, Olibrius had his entire family christened by Hilary, and donated to the saint lands and money. In addition, two of Olibrius’ sons joined Hilary in the religious life. Around 496, then, this became the nucleus of the monastery of Galeata, later called Sant'Ellero di Galeata. The foundation attracted new recruits, and the monastery followed a version of the rule of Saint Pachomius. Numerous miracles are attributed to Hilary. Hilary transformed a grape into a serpent in order to teach a lazy monk named Glicerio a lesson. Hilary also managed to impress Theodoric, who had originally been harassing the monks and who had been building a palace near Galeata, into donating land and goods.