Peter of Tarentaise, St.
PETER OF TARENTAISE, ST.
Archbishop; b. near Vienne, Dauphiné, France, 1102; d. Bellevaux, Sept. 14, 1174. Peter (Pierre), who was of poor peasant stock, joined the Cistercian abbey of Bonnevaux. In 1132 he became the first abbot of Tamié in Savoy, and in 1141 was elected archbishop of Tarentaise. He reformed his diocese, effectively supported alexander iii against Emperor frederick i Barbarossa, and, for the same pope, undertook several successful diplomatic missions. For his charity and healing powers, Peter was venerated as a saint even in his lifetime. He was canonized by celestine iii, May 10, 1191.
Feast: May 8; May 10 (Cistercians).
Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum May 7:317–345. j. m. chevray, La Vie de Saint Pierre II, archevêque de Tarentaise (Baume-les-Dames 1841). g. mÜller, "Der hl Petrus, Erzbischof von Tarentaise," Cistercienser-Chronik 3 (1891). s. lenssen, Hagiologium cisterciense (Tilburg 1948–49). Les Saints de tous les jours, ed. a. mai (Paris 1957). h. riguet, Printemps en chrétienté, l'aventure spirituelle de saint Pierre de Tarentaise (Mercury, Savoie 1967).
[l. j. lekai]