This article explores the origins of the term 'Hilary Term,' tracing its roots from the ancient Roman festival of Hilaria to its modern use in legal and academic contexts. It also delves into the history of the name 'Hilarius' and its connection to Pope Hilarius, patron saint of lawyers.
The “ Hilary Term ,” now under way in courts is named for a fourth-century French saint, Hilary of Poitiers, whose feast-day falls on January 14th.
Only in the 1920s did that adjective come to mean “exceedingly amusing”. This coincided with a surge in popular use, which continues to this day, making a Pope Hilarius II unlikely. An early outbreak was reported in a Dublin pub, Scruffy Murphy’s, at Christmas 1989. It started, as detailed in an Irish Independent social column, when “cheery proprietor Paddy Mulligan . . . decided to staple a customer’s cuffs to the bar counter”.
This reminds me of the French-English writer Hilaire Belloc who may be an argument for nominative determinism: the theory that names influence vocation.
Culture Hilary Term Pope Hilarius Hilaria History Saints Culture Etymology
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