Monreale cathedral, south wall of the presbytery, mosaic of St. Hilary of Poitiers
St. Hilary stands as the easternmost figure in the lower register of the south wall of the presbytery, the short bay before the apse, in Monreale cathedral. St. Hilary was bishop of Poitiers in the middle of the fourth century. He was a leading opponent of Arianism, a form of early Christianity – named after the Alexandrian priest, Arius - which questioned the full divinity of Jesus as God’s son. Although Arius’ doctrines were condemned at the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325, they remained popular in the eastern Empire and were embraced by Emperor Constantius II. Constantius II exiled Hilary to Asia Minor and Hilary’s struggle with the Arians was reflected in his theological treatises and scriptural commentaries. Like several other clerics prominently portrayed in the apse and presbytery at Monreale, Hilary defied secular rulers and suffered at their hands.
Date: 1180s
D'Emilio photo archive no. s19780916_1992uGalleries:Italy 1180s, Mosaic, St. Hilary of Poitiers, bishopKeywords:St. Hilary, bishop, pallium, tonsurePhotographer: Dr. James D’EmilioDate of Photo:Device Make: NikonDevice Model: Nikon SUPER COOLSCAN 5000 EDOriginal Dimensions: 3610×5326Picture Orientation: PortraitGPS Coordinates:Picture Number: 22091
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