Saint of the Day Online - St. Peter of Tarentaise

Saint of the Day for Monday, May 8th, 2017

Cistercian archbishop. Peter was born near Vienne, in Dauphine, France, and joined the Cistercian Order at Bonneveaux at the age of twenty with his two brothers and father. Known for his piety, at age thirty he was sent to serve as the first abbot of Tamie, in the Tarentaise Mountains, between Geneva and Savoy.

There he built a hospice for travelers. In 1142, he was named the archbishop of Tarentaise against his wishes, and he devoted much energy to reforming the diocese, purging the clergy of corrupt and immoral members, aiding the poor, and promoting education.

He is also credited with starting the custom of distributing bread and soup the so-called May Bread just before the harvest, a custom which endured throughout France until the French Revolution. After thirteen years as bishop, Peter suddenly disappeared. Eventually, he was discovered serving as a lay brother in a Cistercian abbey in Switzerland and was convinced to return to Tarantaise and resume his episcopal duties. Trusted as an advisor by popes and kings, he defended papal rights in France and was called upon to assist in bringing about a reconciliation between King Louis VII of France and then Prince Henry II of England. Peter was canonized in 1191. He should not be confused with Peter of Tarantaise, who became Pope Innocent V.

His specific concerns included the welfare of travelers to and from Switzerland and Italy. For their convenience, he rebuilt an inadequate hospice at Little St. Bernard Pass. He also funded a charity which distributed food to farms in the surrounding hills during May. This charity would take the name of pain de Mai ("May bread") and became a tradition continued in the region until the French Revolution.

Peter does not seem to have been particularly happy as a bishop, however. It was reported that in 1155 he disappeared for a year, only to be found in a remote abbey in Switzerland. He also frequently visited the Grand Chartreuse monastery while bishop. There, he was looked after by a monk who would later become known as Saint Hugh of Lincoln.

Peter also worked on behalf of Pope Alexander III in his struggles with Antipope Victor, who was contending for the position of Pope. Because of these efforts, Peter was later appointed to assist in negotiations between King Louis VII of France and King Henry II of England. He died while doing so, at the monastery at Bellevaux, France, in 1174.