January 13
St Hilary of Poitiers
Feast shown for the year 2027; movable feasts can vary from year to year.
St Hilary of Poitiers was a bishop and Doctor of the Church in the fourth century, living during a time when the Church faced significant theological debates, particularly over the nature of Christ. Born in Poitiers, present-day France, he embraced Christianity as an adult and was chosen as bishop by the local Christian community. St Hilary became renowned for his eloquent defense of the faith against the Arian heresy, which denied the full divinity of Jesus Christ. His writings, especially 'On the Trinity', were instrumental in articulating orthodox doctrine and responding to Arian arguments.
Forced into exile due to his opposition to Arianism, St Hilary continued his theological work and maintained correspondence with other bishops, encouraging unity in the faith. His resilience and intellectual rigor greatly contributed to the eventual triumph of Nicene Christianity in the Western Church.
Remembered as the 'Athanasius of the West', St Hilary is honored as a model of pastoral courage and theological clarity. The Church celebrates this memorial to invite the faithful to imitate his love for truth and his steadfast commitment to defending the mystery of Christ. His feast stands as a reminder of the importance of sound doctrine and the call to bear witness to Christ, even amid hardship.
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Liturgical texts of January 13, 2027
The liturgical day
Mass readings
ReadingHe 2, 14-18
Since the children of men
have blood and flesh in common,
Jesus also shared this same condition:
so that, by his death, he might render powerless
the one who held the power of death,
that is, the devil,
and set free all those who, by fear of death,
had spent their whole lives in slavery.
For those he takes charge of are not angels,
but the descendants of Abraham.
So he had to become like his brothers in every way,
to become a merciful and trustworthy high priest
in things relating to God,
in order to take away the sins of the people.
And because he suffered to the end the trial of his Passion,
he is able to help those who are undergoing a trial.
– The word of the Lord.
Psalm104 (105), 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9
Give thanks to the Lord, proclaim his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples;
sing to him and play for him,
repeat his wonders without end.
Glory in his holy name:
joy for hearts that seek God!
Seek the Lord and his strength,
search always for his face.
You, the offspring of Abraham his servant,
the children of Jacob, whom he has chosen.
The Lord, he is our God:
his judgments are law for the whole world.
He has always remembered his covenant,
the promise he gave for a thousand generations:
the promise made to Abraham,
sealed by oath to Isaac.
GospelMc 1, 29-39
At that time,
as soon as they left the synagogue at Capernaum,
Jesus and his disciples went, with James and John,
to the house of Simon and Andrew.
Now, Simon's mother-in-law was in bed,
she had a fever.
At once, they spoke to Jesus about her.
Jesus approached her,
took her by the hand
and helped her up.
The fever left her,
and she began to serve them.
That evening, after sunset,
they brought him all who were sick
or possessed by demons.
The whole town gathered at the door.
He healed many people afflicted with all kinds of diseases,
and he cast out many demons;
he would not allow the demons to speak,
because they knew who he was.
The next day, very early before dawn,
Jesus got up and went out to a deserted place,
and there he prayed.
Simon and his companions went looking for him.
They found him and said,
“Everyone is looking for you.”
Jesus said to them,
“Let us go elsewhere, to the neighboring villages,
so that I may proclaim the Gospel there also;
because that is why I have come.”
And he traveled throughout Galilee,
proclaiming the Gospel in their synagogues,
and casting out demons.
– Let us acclaim the word of God.
Liturgical texts: © AELF — aelf.org