Written by Guide Catholic
Pope St. Hilarius (46º): Biography, Pontificate & Legacy
Pontificate: 19 November 461 –29 February 468 · Origin: Sardenha, Império Ocidental · Birth name: Hilarius
St. Hilarius was the 46th pope of the Catholic Church, reigning 19 November 461 –29 February 468 during the apostolic and patristic Church. Feast day 28 February. The Catholic Church venerates him as a saint.
Who Was Pope Hilarius?
Pope Hilarius — 46º in the Catholic list — reigned 19 November 461 –29 February 468 during the apostolic and patristic Church. Feast day 28 February. This Guide Catholic profile gathers background, major acts, and legacy so you can read Hilarius beside neighboring pontiffs. Catholics also honor him as a saint whose intercession remains part of living devotion.
Early Life & Background
Born Sardinia, Italy, Western Roman Empire, he entered a world shaped by politics and piety very different from today's global Church.
Historical Context
Hilarius (#undefined) shepherded Christians when the faith was still illegal or barely tolerated inside the Roman Empire; records are thin, yet tradition preserves these earliest successors of St. Peter.
Pontificate & Key Events
The pontificate (19 November 461 –29 February 468) centered on governance during the apostolic and patristic Church. Feast day 28 February.
Papal Acts & Achievements
Acts associated with Hilarius (#46, 19 November 461 –29 February 468) still draw historians and Catholics who want more than a one-line summary. His reign remains a link in the succession now counted at 267 popes.
Key Highlights
- 46th pope of the Catholic Church
- Pontificate: 19 November 461 –29 February 468
- Venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church
- Feast day 28 February.
Legacy in the Catholic Church
St. Hilarius remains pope 46º in the Annuario Pontificio. The Church still points to Hilarius's virtues for imitation. Set against the apostolic and patristic Church, Hilarius's choices show both the limits of any one pontiff and the continuity of the office he held.
Why Catholics Study This Pope Today
Place Hilarius on your mental map: 46º successor of Peter, reigning 19 November 461 –29 February 468, formed by the apostolic and patristic Church. Because the Church venerates Hilarius, you may seek his intercession and check his feast in the Martyrology or local calendar. Begin with this documented note: Feast day 28 February. Use the neighboring pontiff links below to test whether Hilarius's reign looks unique or typical for the apostolic and patristic Church.
Place in the Line of Succession
St. Hilarius followed Pope St. Leo I the Great (45º, 29 September 440 –10 November 461) after a transition shaped by the politics and piety of their shared century. He was followed by Pope St. Simplicius (47º, 3 March 468 –10 March 483), whose biography continues the chain on Guide Catholic. For the full chronological map, see our complete list of all 267 popes — then read neighboring biographies for contrast, not only continuity.