Life in Brief

PETER Julian Eymard, the founder of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, was born in La Mure, France, on February 4, 1811. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Grenoble in 1834 and entered the Marist Congregation in 1839.

One dominant thought burned with fierce intensity in the mind of this saintly priest: "The Eucharist is everything; we need nothing more". He was filled with the desire to "bring everybody to love Our Lord, and to preach only Christ, and Christ in the Eucharist".

For this purpose he founded the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in 1856, a body of men devoted to the Eucharist. He also founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in 1864 and the People's Eucharistic League in 1859.

He died in his home town of La Mure on 1st August 1868.

The Congregation spread rapidly and now has about a thousand religious in the major cities of 30 countries throughout the world.

On December 9th 1962, Pope John XXIII canonized Peter Julian as the Apostle of the Eucharist.

Biographical Information

Date of Birth:        February 4, 1811
Date of Death:      August 1, 1868
Place of Birth:      La Mure, France
Diocese:                Grenoble
Ordination:            July 20, 1834
Height:                   5 feet 10 inches
Weight:                  150 lbs.
Color of Eyes:       Light Brown/ Hazel
Color of Hair:        Brown to "salt & pepper" gray
Cause of Death:   Exhaustion/Stroke
Canonization:       December 9, 1962 by Pope John XXIII

Famous French and American Contemporaries

Victor Hugo, writer
Louis Pasteur, scientist
August Rodin, sculptor
Saint John Baptist Vianney, "Curé d'Ars," Grenoble priest

Curriculum Vitae

Age 34, 1845 - Provincial Superior, Society of Mary
Age 45, 1856 - Founder, Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament
Age 47, 1858 - Founder, Servants of the Blessed Sacrament

Guide to the Eymard's writings

For the Complete Works of St Peter-Julian Eymard, go to http://www.eymard.org/