Pierre Viret
Encyclopedia
Pierre Viret was a Swiss Reformed theologian.
, a small town now in Switzerland. He was a close friend of John Calvin
.
Viret studied as a scholar in his hometown school and then attended the University of Paris
, where he was converted to the Reformed
faith. He returned to Orbe in 1531 to escape the persecutions in Paris.
, a Protestant preacher, called Viret to the ministry at his return to Orbe. On May 6, 1531, Viret preached his first sermon, being only twenty years old at the time. His preaching was received with astonishment and acclamation by his hearers, and many were soon converted to the Reformed Faith, among them both Viret's parents. Subsequently, he preached in Lausanne
and Geneva
, before undertaking missionary tours in France, preaching to crowds of thousands in Paris
, Orléans
, Avignon
, Montauban
, and Montpellier
. His preaching was sweet and winning, and won him the name of "The Smile of the Reformation."
At one time he was captured by Catholic forces. Viret was considered one of the most popular French
-speaking preacher in 16th century. Above all he was the reformer of the city of Lausanne, where he converted the local population to the Reformrd faith. In his time, Lausanne also became, with Geneva, a training ground for Reformation preachers. Among those who studied in Lausanne was the author of the Belgic Confession
, Guy de Brès. While at Lausanne, Viret founded a Reformed Academy, which was forced to relocate to Geneva in 1559. The relocated professors and students of Viret's Lausanne Academy soon became the foundation of Calvin’s famed Geneva Academy.
He died in Orthez
in 1571.
Early life
Pierre Viret was born to a devout middle class Roman Catholic family in OrbeOrbe
Orbe is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It was the seat of the former district of Orbe and is now part of the district of Jura-Nord Vaudois.-History:Orbe is first mentioned about 280 as Urba. In 1179 it was mentioned as versus Orbam....
, a small town now in Switzerland. He was a close friend of John Calvin
John Calvin
John Calvin was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530...
.
Viret studied as a scholar in his hometown school and then attended the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, where he was converted to the Reformed
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
faith. He returned to Orbe in 1531 to escape the persecutions in Paris.
Preaching
William FarelWilliam Farel
William Farel , né Guilhem Farel, 1489 in Gap, Dauphiné, in south-eastern France, was a French evangelist, and a founder of the Reformed Church in the cantons of Neuchâtel, Berne, Geneva, and Vaud in Switzerland...
, a Protestant preacher, called Viret to the ministry at his return to Orbe. On May 6, 1531, Viret preached his first sermon, being only twenty years old at the time. His preaching was received with astonishment and acclamation by his hearers, and many were soon converted to the Reformed Faith, among them both Viret's parents. Subsequently, he preached in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
and Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, before undertaking missionary tours in France, preaching to crowds of thousands in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
, Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
, Montauban
Montauban
Montauban is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It is the capital of the department and lies north of Toulouse....
, and Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
. His preaching was sweet and winning, and won him the name of "The Smile of the Reformation."
At one time he was captured by Catholic forces. Viret was considered one of the most popular French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
-speaking preacher in 16th century. Above all he was the reformer of the city of Lausanne, where he converted the local population to the Reformrd faith. In his time, Lausanne also became, with Geneva, a training ground for Reformation preachers. Among those who studied in Lausanne was the author of the Belgic Confession
Belgic Confession
The Confession of Faith, popularly known as the Belgic Confession, is a doctrinal standard document to which many of the Reformed churches subscribe. The Confession forms part of the Reformed Three Forms of Unity...
, Guy de Brès. While at Lausanne, Viret founded a Reformed Academy, which was forced to relocate to Geneva in 1559. The relocated professors and students of Viret's Lausanne Academy soon became the foundation of Calvin’s famed Geneva Academy.
He died in Orthez
Orthez
Orthez is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It lies 40 km NW of Pau on the Southern railway to Bayonne. The town also encompasses the small village of Sainte-Suzanne thus residents of the town are called either Orthéziens or Sainte-Suzannais...
in 1571.
Bibliographic sources
- Berthoud, Jean-Marc "Pierre Viret: Forgotten Giant of the Reformation", Zurich Publishing, (2010)
- Linder, Robert D. "Forgotten Reformer." Christian History.
- "Viret, Pierre." Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation
- Procedures Held With Regard to those of the Religion of the Netherlands (1568)
External links
- http://pierreviret.org Website of the Pierre Viret Association
- Pierre Viret: and the Refusal of the Church to Fold Before the Power of the State An article on Viret's views concerning Church and State
- Pierre Viret and Geneva An article dealing with Viret's importance to Geneva
- Several biographies in English and French
- Forgotten Reformer A biographical article in Christianity Today.