Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney (John in English) was born May 8, 1786 in Dardilly, France as the fourth of six children. His parnets, Matthieu and Marie Vianney were simple farmers and raised their children in a Catholic home, often helping the poor and those less fortueante than themselves.
 
In 1790, when the French Revolution forced priests to work in secrecy or face execution,  little John was so inspired by these heroic men that he continued his preparation for Holy Comminion and Confirmation in secret. After the French Revolution ended, John was allowed to leave the family farm to learn at a "prsbytery-school" in Écully where he studied math, history, geography and Latin. He struggled with his subjects, particularly Latin, but he worked very hard to overcome this diffuculty.
 
Unfortunately, in 1809, John was drafted into Napoleon Bonaparte's armies. Two days into his service, John fell ill and stopped to pray at the nearby Church. When he returned to camp, he found his regiment had gone ahead without him and he accordingly set out to find them. At nightfall he met a young man who volunteered to guide him to his fellow-soldiers, but led him to Noes, where some deserters had gathered. The mayor persuaded him to remain there, under an assumed name, as schoolmaster. After fourteen months, he was able to communicate with his family. His father was vexed to know that his son was a deserter and ordered him to surrender but the matter was settled by his younger brother offering to serve in his stead.
 
Now free, John returned to the seminary at Écully and was ordained a priest in 1815. After three years as curate in Écully, he was then sent to the remote French community of Ars to be a parish priest. 
Upon his arrival, the priest immediately began praying and working for the conversion of his parishioners, most of whom lived very lax and immoral lives. John slowly helped to revive the community’s faith through both his prayers and the witness of his lifestyle. He gave powerful homilies on the mercy and love of God, and it is said that even staunch sinners were converted upon hearing him.  In addition, he restored the church at Ars, formed an orphanage for penniles girls, and cared for the poor.
 
His reputation as a confessor grew rapidly, and pilgrims traveled from all over France to come to him in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Gifted with the grace of seeing into people's souls, he would spend up to 16 hours a day in the confessional. He lived on little food and sleep, and was often plagued by many trials. Dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament, he spent much time in prayer and practiced much mortification. By 1853, Fr. Vianney had attempted to run away from Ars four times, each attempt with the intention of becoming a monk but decided after the final time that it was not to be.
 
John Vianney died on August 4, 1859. Over 1,000 people attended his funeral, including the bishop and priests of the diocese, who already viewed his life as a model of priestly holiness.
 
This print is part of the "Happy Saint" collection by Anna Morelli.
 
The image is professionally printed, hand-signed by the artist, and comes enclosed in a plastic sleeve to ensure protection.