Feast March 4 | Name Placide Viel | |
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Beatified 6 May 1951 by Pope Pius XII Died March 4, 1877, Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte, France | ||
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church | ||
Saint Placide Viel (26 September 1815 — 4 March 1877), born Eulalie-Victoire Jacqueline Viel, was a French Roman Catholic professed religious and mother general who was active in organizing relief during the Franco-Prussian War. Viel joined the Sisters of the Christian Schools in 1833 and assumed the religious name of "Placide". Saint Marie-Madeleine Postel - mother general of the congregation - was her aunt.
She studied at Argentan and worked in school administration while founding new convents. In 1841 she was appointed assistant general of the sisters in an appointment that caused great resentment among her sisters. After her aunt died in 1846 she became the mother general of the order at the age of 31. She directed the institute for three decades and received papal approval for the order in 1859 from Pope Pius IX.
She died at Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte on 4 March 1877.
She was made a Servant of God with the introduction of her beatification cause on 22 July 1935 while being made Venerable on 9 February 1941. Pope Pius XII beatified her on 6 May 1951.