Italicus, a citizen of Gaza and a Christian, was training horses for the chariot races against the duumvir (co-mayor), a worshiper of the idol Marnas… Chariots ran seven times around the circus and victory went to that side which succeeded in breaking down the horses of their opponent.
Now, as Italicus’ rival had a magician who by certain demoniacal imprecations could impede his opponent’s horses and at the same time spur on his own to the race, Italicus went to blessed Hilarion and begged for help, not so much to injure his adversary as to protect himself. It seemed foolish to the venerable old man to waste prayer on this kind of nonsense. He smiled and said, “Why don’t you rather spend the price of horses on the poor for the salvation of your soul?” He answered that the contest was his public duty and it was not that he wanted to do it but that he was forced to. He urged, furthermore, that a Christian could not employ magical arts, but that he could petition help from the servant of God, especially against the people of Gaza, who were enemies of God and were not so much insulting him as they were insulting the Church of Christ. At the request of the brothers who were present, Hilarion ordered the cup from which he usually drank to be filled with water and given to Italicus, who took it and sprinkled his stable, horses, charioteers, carriage and ever the bars of the starting stalls.
On the day of the contest, the expectation of the mob was at high tension, for Italicus’ opponent had mocked and belittled him. On the other hand, his own partisans were in high spirits, promising themselves certain victory. The signal was given. His horses flew; his opponent’s horses became entangled and hindered each other. The wheels of the chariot glowed and his opponents scarcely caught sight of the horses’ backs as they flew by. The clamor of the crowd was so great that the heathens themselves joined in the shout of triumph with:
“Marnas is conquered by Christ!”
Furious, Italicus’ adversaries demanded that Hilarion, the magician of the Christians, be punished, but the victory was incontestable and became the occasion of faith for a great many at this and subsequent contests.
Jerome
Life of St. Hilarion, 20
