Course 3, Chapter 22

Christianity preserved and propagated — St. Hilary — . St. Martin — St. Gregory Nazianzen — St. Basil. — Fourth Century.

1. Who was St. Hilary?

St. Hilary, bishop of Poictiers, was raised up by God to defend the Western church against Arianism •at the same time that St. Athanasius defended the Eastern church against the same heresy.

2. Who was the most illustrious disciple of St. Hilary?

The most illustrious disciple of St. Hilary was the great St. Martin, son of a military tribune. St. Martin was obliged to embrace the profession of a soldier, but even there he failed not to practise every virtue, especially charity towards the poor. He after wards attached himself to St Hilary, founded the first monastery known in Gaul, was consecrated bishop of Tours, and converted a great number of pagans, which compensated the church for the children she had lost by Arianism.

3. What was passing in the east at that time?

Whilst St. Hilary was defending religion, and St. Martin propagating it in the west, the emperor Julian the apostate endeavored to re-establish pagan ism in the east.

4. By what means?

In order to destroy religion by a single blow, he undertook to give the lie to our Lord by rebuilding the temple of Jerusalem. He destroyed what remained of the old foundations, but in the act of placing the first stone of the new temple, a whirlwind of flames burst out of the earth and forced the workmen to fly. He renewed the attempt several times, but each time new

flames bursting forth prevented the work, and he was obliged to abandon it.

5. What effect had this miracle?

A» This miracle, attested by a pagan author, filled the Catholics with joy, and enraged the apostate who swore to avenge himself on Jesus Christ; but he was mortally wounded in a battle, when, foaming with rage, he took with his hand the Wood from his wound and threw it towards the heavens, crying, " Thou hast conquered, Galilean." It was thus he called our Lord. These words were the last cry of expiring paganism.

6. How did God sustain his church?

God sustained his church thus: he himself confounded Julian the apostate, and then he raised up learned doctors who wrote against him as well as ugainst Arianism, which from day to day was extend ing its ravages. Amongst these great doctors were St. Gregory Nazianzen and St, Basil the Great.

7. . Who was St. Gregory Nazianzen?

St, Gregory was born at Nazianzen, a city of Cappadocia He was trained to virtue by his parents and sent to Athens to study, where he formed an intimate friendship with St. Basil. The fruit of this friendship, which should serve us as a model, was to guard them from bad example and aid tiieir progress in virtue and science**

8. What was the eulogium passed upon them?

The eulogium passed on them was, that they knew only two streets, the one that led to the church, and the other to the public schools, Gregory was elected archbishop of Constantinople, where he had much to suffer from the heretics; he retired into solitude where he composed his beautiful work?, which an, the glory and treasure of the church,*

9. Who was St. Basil?

St. Basil was of Cesarea in Cappadocia, of a family not less illustrious for its sanctity than for it 25*

290 CATECHISM OF PERSEVERANCE.

nobility. Having reached a mature age, he retired into solitude and founded many monasteries both of men and women, for whom he drew up a code of wise regulations. It is for this reason he is regarded as one of the four patriarchs of the religious life.

10. Did he remain always in his solitude?

He did not remain always in his solitude. Be ing, entirely against his wish, made bishop of Cesarea, he was one of the pillars of the church against Arianism; he made the emperor Valens tremble, and died at the age of fifty-one, so poor that he did not leave wherewith to erect a tomb-stone over his grave.