Marcellin Champagnat

Marcellin Joseph Benoît Champagnat ( born May 20, 1789 in Marlhes in Saint-Étienne, † June 6, 1840 in Notre Dame de l' Hermitage ) was a priest and Founder of the Marist Brothers.

Marcellin Champagnat grew as the ninth of ten children in Le Rosey, a hamlet in Marlhes on. On 2 July 1816, he was ordained a Catholic priest, having already decided the age of 14 for this way of life. 1817 Champagnat founded the Marist Brothers. 1820 began the first school brothers who were trained by him to give religious instruction in the surrounding villages. Despite many difficulties experienced Champagnat a rapid spread of his fraternity. She is now one of the ten greatest men of the Order of the Catholic Church.

On 29 May 1955 he was instituted by Pope Pius XII. beatified. 44 years later, on 18 April 1999 finally was the canonization by Pope John Paul II