The Society of Saint Hilarion was founded as a cultural and religious body in 1955 which formally became incorporated in 1974. Our origins are owed to the passion of a group of migrants who settled in South Australia after migrating from the town of Caulonia (and surrounds) in southern Italy, either side of World War 2.
Building a Community – The Formative Years
The Society of Saint Hilarion is named after the Patron Saint of Caulonia, a small town in the Region of Calabria, Italy.
Our organisation was formed by migrants from the Region who ventured to Australia by ship on either side of the Second World War. Initially their focus was to preserve the cultural and religious traditions that they grew up with in Italy and which were entrenched into their way of life, and in particular incorporating family, food and home-made vino.
While many families were instrumental in the development of the Saint Hilarion community, it was the Ciccarello, Costa, Fazzalari and Lamberto families who were the key players in helping to galvanise these people who, it must be remembered, arrived in South Australia with virtually only the shirts on their backs and practically no English.
Drawing on this spirit of family and community, in 1955 the first Feast Day of Saint Hilarion was celebrated by thousands of people.
Caulonia, Italy
Feast of St. Hilarion - Newton, SA 1958
This tradition has been maintained every year since in the third week of October where the Feast of Saint Hilarion, with a five day program of prayer and spirituality, takes place. The program of activities culminates on the final day, which is always a Sunday, with the Feast Day itself, which has evolved to be one of the largest and most popular events of its kind in Australia.
Today the Feast of Saint Hilarion continues to be staged by the Society of Saint Hilarion Executive Committee and a dedicated team of approximately 100 volunteers.