The Childhood of Saint Peter Julian Eymard

From the time he was a little boy God gave St. Peter Julian Eymard a special grace to know and understand His Real Presence in the Eucharist. Always drawn to Jesus, even from his earliest memories, St. Peter Julian Eymard grew up after the destruction of the French Revolution. This was a time when French society became a force against the Church. The culture aimed to draw people away from the life of the Church and to become more worldly.

During this terrible time for France, our beloved Saint Peter Julian Eymard was being drawn by the Holy Spirit to a very special vocation, a lifelong devotion to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist as a Catholic priest.

As a young boy he was able to hear and respond to Jesus. This relationship with Jesus remained with St. Peter Julian Eymard throughout his entire life. St. Peter Julian Eymard wrote many things about his experiences with Jesus and he offered many teachings on how we can learn to know and love Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration.

Saint Peter Julian Eymard’s Family

St. Peter Julian Eymard was born into a poor family in southern France in a place called La Mure, near Grenoble. It was a mining town. He was the tenth and last child in his family, and the only son of his parents to survive infancy. Both of Peter’s parents had devotions to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and were adorers. St. Peter Julian Eymard suffered a chronic weakness in his lungs and he also had migraine headaches.

Young Peter Wanders from Home to See Jesus

One day, when he was only five years old and being watched by his older sister, Peter wandered from home without telling anyone. His sister was very scared and searched for him all over the town they lived in. She finally found him at the church. Little Peter was found standing on a step stool near the tabernacle of the high altar. He was attempting to get as close as he could to Jesus in the tabernacle.

When asked why he ran away from home and went into the church Peter said, “I am here listening to Jesus.” On the day of his first Communion, he knew his vocation was to become a priest, and he wasn’t concerned at all that the French culture at that time was hostile to priests. He trusted and loved Jesus with his life. Peter had his first holy Communion when he was 12. It meant so much to him that he wrote a small book of prayers to prepare himself. On the following page is the prayer he wrote to say after he received holy Communion.

Joining the Seminary

St. Peter Julian Eymard joined the seminary at age 20, after both his parents had passed away. He was ordained in 1834. After 5 years as a local priest he joined the Congregation of the Marist Fathers in Lyon in 1839. Desiring to do more for Christ in his vocation, In 1845 St. Peter Julian Eymard made a life-changing prayer while carrying the Blessed Sacrament in a Eucharistic procession. He asked God to give him the zeal of St. Paul the Apostle to spread the Gospel. This began his journey as an apostle for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Total Consecration to Mary

Through his devotion to the Virgin Mary, St. Peter Julian Eymard made a total consecration to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Through revelations, Jesus revealed to him that His will was for St. Peter Julian Eymard to devote his life to a congregation that would perpetually adore Him in the Eucharist. While at prayer in 1853, St. Peter Julian Eymard was shown by Our Lord that it was time for this work to begin. This prompted him to leave the Marist order after 17 years. St. Peter Julian Eymard obeyed the call of Christ and began his work promoting Eucharistic Adoration. He soon became widely known as the “Apostle of the Eucharist” after he founded the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament.

Eucharistic Adoration is the Heart of His Priesthood

St. Peter Julian Eymard knew that Eucharistic Adoration was the heart and soul of his life as a priest. He also had a deep devotion to the Virgin Mary. Through his time in adoration in the Real Presence of Christ, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, St. Peter Julian Eymard was given numerous graces. Jesus always gave him the strength to do very difficult and charitable work for all the people he served. He knew that by emptying himself of all that is not in union with the divine will of God he could be filled more fully with the power of the Holy Spirit. This allowed him to act in the Person of Christ for those whom the Lord put into his path. His vow was to do everything in his power to surrender his own will to God so that God had the ability to work through him in his priestly ministry.

The Mystical Gifts of St. Peter Julian Eymard

St. Peter Julian Eymard had many mystical gifts. He was known to have prophetic knowledge as well as the gift of healing. He founded the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament and the Priests’ Eucharistic League. St. Peter Julian Eymard also began a devotion Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament. At the age of 57, after devoting his entire life to teaching us that Jesus is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, St. Peter Julian Eymard passed away. He will be forever remembered as a priest who worked tirelessly to preach about the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist to both adults and children.

St. Peter Julian Eymard was canonized on December 9, 1962 by Pope John XXIII.

St. Peter Julian Eymard, pray for us!
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!