Important dates in the life of the Curé of Ars

Important dates in the life of the Curé of Ars
Some dates of the life and ministry of Jean Marie Vianney …

- 8 May 1786 : Jean Marie Vianney is born in Dardilly, near Leon. He is the fourth of six children, and will spend his childhood on his father’s farm, during the tumultuous period of the French Revolution.

- 1806 : having manifested the desire to become a priest, Jean Marie Vianney begins his formation with Abbot Balley, in the presbytery of Écully.

- 23 June 1815 : following a long and often difficult period of formation, he is ordained deacon in Leon.

- 13 August 1815 : he is ordained to the priesthood in Grenoble by Mons. Simon. He is then called as vicar by Abbot Balley in Écully.

- 13 February 1818 : he arrives in Ars as assistant pastor of the church.

- 1821 : Ars receives the charter of parish and Jean Marie Vianney becomes the Pastor.

- Beginning in 1822, he begins the work of restoration and beautification of the church, a task he will bring ahead until his death.

- 1823 : the diocese of Belley, upon which the parish of Ars depends, is reopened.

- 1824 : he opens the House of Providence with the idea of making it a free school for girls; it will later become an orphanage.

- Towards 1830 : the beginning of the influx of pilgrims and penitents to Ars. They will continue to come in always greater numbers until his death. The Curé of Ars, in practice, will not be able to leave his parish; he will dedicate himself exclusively to the parishioners and pilgrims.

- 1843 : grave illness of the Holy Curé, which precedes his first "escape" from Ars. There will be three other attempts at escaping, brought face to face with the scale of the role of Pastor and the realization of his weaknesses.

- In 1849, he founds the boy’s school, which he entrusts to the Brothers of the Holy Family of Belley.

- Beginning in 1853, a team of diocesan missionaries come to assist the Holy Curé, "prisoner" of the confessional and assailed by pilgrims.

- 1858 : approximately 100,000 pilgrims visit Ars this year. The Curé of Ars spends as many as 17 hours per day in the confessional.

- 4 August 1859 : the Curé of Ars dies exhausted, towards two in the morning, in his presbytery.

- 8 January 1905 : beatification at the hand of Pope Pius X; he is declared "patron of the priests of France".

- 31 May 1925 : canonization at the hand of Pope Pius XI.

- 1929 : he is declared "patron of all the pastors of the universe" by Pope Pius XI.

- 6 October 1986 : Pope John Paul II goes on pilgrimage to Ars.