St. Hilarion the Great was born in 291 in the Palestinian village of Tawafa. He was sent to study sciences in Alexandria, where he met Christians and received Holy Baptism. Having heard about the Angelic life of St. Anthony the Great (January 17), Hilarion went to him to learn how to please God. Soon Hilarion returned to his homeland. His parents are already dead. Having distributed property to relatives and beggars, Hilarion settled in the desert near the city of Maium. The monk strenuously struggled with impure thoughts that confused the mind and inflamed the flesh, overcoming them with hard work, fasting and diligent prayer. The devil terrified the saint with ghosts and apparitions. 
During prayer, Saint Hilarion heard the crying of children, the sobbing of women, the roar of lions and other animals. The monk understood that these horrors were being induced by demons in order to drive him out of the desert, so he overcame his fear with the help of fervent prayer.
One day the Monk Hilarion was attacked by robbers, and by the power of his word he persuaded them to abandon their life of crime. Soon the whole of Palestine learned about the holy ascetic. The Lord granted St. Hilarion the power to cast out unclean spirits. With this gracious gift, he freed many ailing people from their bonds. The sick came for healing, and the monk cured diseases for free, saying that the grace of God was not for sale. 
Through the sense of smell, the saint learned what kind of passion a person was obsessed with. Those who wished to save their souls under his guidance also came to St. Hilarion. With the blessing of the monk, monasteries began to arise throughout Palestine. Moving from one monastery to another, he established in them a strict ascetic way of life. Seven years before his death (+ 371-372), the Monk Hilarion settled in Cyprus, where he asceticized in a deserted place until the Lord called him to Himself.