Peter Julian Eymard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintPeter Julian Eymard S.S.S. |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Priest Apostle of the Eucharist |
|
| Born | 4 February 1811 La Mure, Grenoble, French Empire |
| Died | 1 August 1868 (aged 57) La Mure, Grenoble, French Empire |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 12 July 1925 by Pope Pius XI |
| Canonized | 9 December 1962 by Pope John XXIII |
| Major shrine | Santi Claudio e Andrea dei Borgognoni |
| Feast | 2 August |
| Attributes | Eucharist, Monstrance, Eucharistic Adoration, Eucharistic Congress, Cope, Humeral Veil, Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, Servants of the Blessed Sacrament, Real Presence |
Peter Julian Eymard (born Pierre-Julien Eymard) was a French Catholic priest. He lived from February 4, 1811, to August 1, 1868. He is known for starting two important religious groups: the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament for men and the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament for women. The letters S.S.S. after his name stand for "Society of the Blessed Sacrament," which is another name for the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament.
Contents
Early Life and Calling
Peter Julian Eymard was born on February 4, 1811, in a town called La Mure in the French Alps. His father was a blacksmith. From a young age, Peter Julian had a very strong belief in Mary, who is also called the Mother of God.
Before his First Communion in 1823, he walked to a special holy place called Notre-Dame du Laus. Later, he learned about another famous event where Mary was said to have appeared, known as Notre-Dame de La Salette. He loved visiting different Marian shrines, which are places dedicated to Mary, all over France.
When his mother passed away in 1828, Peter Julian decided he wanted to become a priest. He joined a group called the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1829, even though his father did not want him to. However, he became very sick, and his first attempt to become a priest ended. Peter Julian often had poor health throughout his life, especially problems with his lungs and bad headaches.
After his father died in 1831, he tried again. With help from a former leader, he was accepted into the main seminary for the Diocese of Grenoble. On July 20, 1834, he officially became a priest for that Diocese.
Parish Work and New Path
Peter Julian Eymard's first job as a priest was in the town of Chatte. Three years later, he became the pastor, or head priest, of a place called Mount Saint-Eynard. This parish had an old church and a poor house for the priest. Not many people attended Mass there.
His two sisters moved with him to help furnish the house, as the parish was very poor. Peter Julian worked hard and made the parish much better. However, he felt that parish work was not his true calling. He decided to join another religious group called the Marists. His sisters were very sad because they had dedicated their lives to helping him.
In August 1837, he joined the Marist seminary in Lyon. He became a full member in February 1840. He worked with groups of regular people to encourage their faith in the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Eucharist. He especially promoted a practice called the Forty Hours, which involves special prayer before the Eucharist for a long time. He eventually became a leader for the Marists in Lyon in 1844.
Peter Julian's deep belief in the Eucharist grew over time. It wasn't something that happened all at once. As a leader, he traveled around France to visit different Marist communities. In 1849, he learned about continuous worship of the Eucharist in Paris. He met people who had set up a special time for prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at a church called the Basilica of Our Lady of Victories.
After praying at the Our Lady of Fourviere in 1851, Peter Julian wanted to start a Marist group focused only on adoring the Eucharist. But his leaders did not think this idea fit with the Marists' main purpose. They moved him to another Marist college. Eventually, Peter Julian decided to leave the Society of Mary to start his own new religious group with another priest, Raymond de Cuers.
Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament
On May 13, 1856, the bishops in Paris agreed to Peter Julian Eymard's plans for a "Society of the Blessed Sacrament." After facing many challenges, Peter Julian and Raymond de Cuers opened a place for public adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in Paris on January 6, 1857. It was in an old building.
The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament started by helping children in Paris get ready for their First Communion. They also reached out to Catholics who had stopped practicing their faith, encouraging them to return to receiving Communion. Peter Julian created rules for the members of his new society and worked to get approval from the Pope.
A second community was started in Marseille in 1859, and a third in Angers in 1862. Pope Pius IX officially approved the group in June 1863. Peter Julian was a strong supporter of people receiving Holy Communion often, an idea that was later strongly supported by Pope Pius X in 1905.
In 1969, Pope Paul VI wrote a letter praising the practice of adoring the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass. He said that those who do this are praying "in the name of the Church."
In 1995, the Catholic Church officially added Saint Peter Julian Eymard to its main calendar of saints. The Church recognized him as a great "apostle of the Eucharist." This means he was a very important person who spread devotion to the Eucharist. His life and work showed how central the Eucharist is to the Christian community.
The famous French sculptor Auguste Rodin received advice from Peter Julian Eymard. Rodin had joined the Congregation as a lay brother in 1862 after his sister died and he had given up art. Peter Julian recognized Rodin's artistic talent and told him to go back to his art. Rodin later created a sculpture of Eymard's head and shoulders.
Servants of the Blessed Sacrament
In 1858, Peter Julian Eymard also helped start a religious group for women called the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament. He founded this group with Marguerite Guillot. This group of women focuses on prayer and quiet reflection. He once said, "You take Communion to become holy, not because you already are."
Friends and Death
Peter Julian Eymard was friends with many important religious figures of his time. These included John Marie Vianney, Peter Chanel, Marcellin Champagnat, Basil Moreau, and Pauline-Marie Jaricot.
He passed away at the age of 57 in La Mure on August 1, 1868. He died from problems caused by bleeding in his brain. His body was first buried in the cemetery at La Mure. But in 1877, his remains were moved to the Blessed Sacrament Congregation's Corpus Christi Chapel in Paris.
Honors and Legacy
_-_relic_of_St._Peter_Eymard.jpg)
Peter Julian Eymard was declared "venerable" in 1908, which is an important step toward becoming a saint. He was then "beatified" by Pope Pius XI on July 12, 1926. This means he was given the title "Blessed."
His journey to sainthood continued, and he was officially made a saint by Pope John XXIII on December 9, 1962. His feast day, which is a day to celebrate him, is observed in the Catholic Church on August 2. Pope John Paul II later called Eymard the "Apostle of the Eucharist."
There is a statue of Peter Julian Eymard in Saint Jean Baptiste Catholic Church in New York City. Below the statue, there is a special container called a reliquary that holds one of his bones.
Peter Julian Eymard is seen as a very important person who helped shape Catholic spirituality in France during the 1800s.
Several Catholic churches around the world are named after him, including in Australia, France, Senegal, and the United States. Also, some streets and places have been named in his honor, such as in Canada and the Philippines.
See also
- Saint Peter Julian Eymard, patron saint archive
