Saint Peter Julian Eymard

Priest

Feast Day

August 2

Life

1811–1868

Canonized

1962

Order

Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament (Blessed Sacrament Fathers, S.S.S.)

Born

La Mure d'Isere, France

Saint Peter Julian Eymard was born at La Mure d'Isere in southeastern France on February 4, 1811, son of a cutler who had survived the persecution of the French Revolution. After early studies and a brief novitiate with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, he was ordained priest of the Diocese of Grenoble on July 20, 1834, and served as a parish curate and pastor.

In 1839 he entered the Society of Mary (Marists), serving as Provincial of Lyon and as spiritual director and novice master. During this Marist period, on January 25, 1851, while making the Forty Hours' Devotion before the Blessed Sacrament at the parish church of Saint-Paul, Lyon, he received what he later called the grace of his vocation, the inspiration to found a congregation entirely devoted to the cult of the Blessed Eucharist. After consultations with the future Pope Pius IX (then in Rome) and with Saint John Vianney, the Cure of Ars (whom Eymard visited at Ars), he obtained release from the Marists and on May 13, 1856, founded the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament at Paris with the approval of Archbishop Sibour.

The Blessed Sacrament Fathers were dedicated to perpetual exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and to the renewal of Eucharistic devotion in the Church and especially among the faithful, including the encouragement of frequent Communion at a time when this was uncommon. With Marguerite Guillot he founded a parallel community of women, the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament, in 1858. He also organized the First Communion of working-class children of Paris and conducted retreats for priests on Eucharistic spirituality.

Worn out by tireless apostolic activity, he returned to his native La Mure to recover, where he died on August 1, 1868. Pope Saint John XXIII canonized him on December 9, 1962, during the first session of the Second Vatican Council. The Memorial in the General Roman Calendar is observed on August 2, the date Saint John XXIII fixed for his liturgical celebration in the calendar reform under preparation at his canonization.