Hilarion of Trebia

Holy Venerable Martyr Hilarion of Trebia, a hieromonk, is numbered among the holy hieromartyrs Aemilianus, bishop, Hilarion, hieromonk, and the martyrs Dionysius and Hermippus. Aemilianus, Dionysius and Hermippus were brothers; Hilarion was their teacher. All were born and lived in Armenia. After the death of their parents, Aemilianus, Dionysius and Hermippus and their teacher Hilarion left their homeland and came to Italy, to the city of Spoleto. There Saint Aemilianus began to preach the Gospel to the pagans. By his strict and virtuous life he won deep respect in the Christian community and was elected bishop of the city of Trebia (he received episcopal ordination from the holy Pope Marcellinus of Rome).

Moving to Trebia, Saint Aemilianus turned many pagans to Christ, for which he was brought to the judgment of Emperor Maximian (284-305). The hierarch proposed that the emperor himself be convinced of the power of prayer to Christ. A man paralysed for long was brought. However hard the pagan priests tried to heal him by calling on the idols, they achieved nothing. Then Saint Aemilianus, praying to the Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ commanded the paralytic to rise, and he stood up healthy and went home rejoicing on his own feet. The miracle was so convincing that the emperor began to incline to recognising the truth in Christ, but the priests persuaded him that the hierarch worked by sorcery. He was given over to cruel torments, before which the Lord strengthened him, saying: Do not fear, Aemilianus, I Myself am with you. The martyr was bound to the wheel, thrown into boiling tin, drowned in a river, given in the circus to be eaten by beasts, but remained unharmed. Seeing such miracles, the people began to cry: Great is the God of the Christians. Let His servant be set free. That day a thousand people believed in Christ, and all received the crowns of martyrdom. In fury the ruler ordered the beasts also killed, which had not torn the hierarch, and he thanked the Lord that even wild beasts accept death for Christ.

Saint Aemilianus, with his brothers and teacher, was shut in prison, and after cruel tortures the holy hieromartyrs Hilarion, Dionysius and Hermippus were beheaded with the sword. Saint Aemilianus was executed outside the city. When the executioner struck the martyr's neck with the sword, it became soft as wax and made no wound. The soldiers fell at his feet, asking forgiveness and confessing Christ as true God. The saint, kneeling, prayed for them and asked the Lord to grant him a martyr's death. His prayer was heard: another executioner cut off his head. Seeing the milk that flowed from the wound, many pagans believed in Christ and buried the saint's body with honour (about the year 300).

The saints are commemorated on 31 August (new style).