The Body of Saint John Vianney

Saint John Vianney was parish priest of the little village of Ars, north of Lyon, from 1818 until his death on 4 August 1859. By the end of his life tens of thousands of pilgrims came every year to confess to him, and he spent up to sixteen hours a day in the confessional.

He was buried in his parish church. When his body was exhumed in 1904, during the process for his beatification, it was found dried but whole. It was placed in a reliquary of gilded bronze and glass in the church, which was later enlarged into the basilica that stands today. His face is covered with a lifelike mask of wax. His heart was placed in a separate reliquary, and it has been taken on pilgrimage around the world, notably during the Year for Priests in 2009 and 2010.

In Ars pilgrims can still visit his humble presbytery, with his bed, his kitchen and the few books he used. They can see the confessional where he spent his days and the church he loved. The village remains a place of pilgrimage, especially for priests, of whom he is the patron.

“The priesthood,” he said, “is the love of the heart of Jesus.”

Where

Basilica of Ars (Shrine of the Curé of Ars), Ars-sur-Formans, France

When to see it

In a gilded reliquary in the basilica, open daily. His heart is kept in a nearby chapel.

Map

Find it on OpenStreetMap

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Saint John Vianney