Jean-Pierre Schumacher

Jean-Pierre Schumacher
Born(1924-02-15)15 February 1924
Buding, Moselle, France
Died21 November 2021(2021-11-21) (aged 97)
Priory of Our Lady of Atlas, Midelt, Morocco
OccupationTrappist monk

Jean-Pierre Schumacher (15 February 1924 – 21 November 2021) was a French Trappist monk and prior.[1] He was one of the two survivors of the Trappist community of Tibhirine.

Biography[edit]

Schumacher was born on 15 February 1924[2] in Buding, Moselle. He was born and raised in a Catholic family of six children.[3] At the age of eighteen he was enlisted in the Wehrmacht and escaped being sent to the Russian front thanks to a false diagnosis of tuberculosis during the military medical examination.[citation needed] Schumacher studied with the Marist Fathers[4] and was ordained a priest in 1953.[3] In 1957, he joined the trappists and entered the Abbey of the Notre-Dame de Timadeuc.[3] At the request of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Algiers, Schumacher was sent in 1964 to the Abbey of Our Lady of Atlas in Tibhirine, Algeria[4] alongside three other monks from Timadeuc.[3]

On 21 May 1996, Schumacher survived the Tibhirine massacre alongside Father Amédée.[4][5] The monastery was transferred to Fez to a former annex of the monastery where he was immediately appointed "superior ad nutum". On 18 September 1997, he became the successor of Christian de Chergé by election of this community, now called the Priory of Our Lady of Atlas. Four years later, in 2000, they settled permanently in Midelt in a monastery previously occupied by the Franciscan Missionary Sisters.[3] Since then, the community has seven members of very diverse origins.

In December 2018, Fr. Jean-Pierre and the rest of the community of Our Lady went to Algeria for the beatification of his murdered companions and several other killed Christians of the Algerian civil war and he returned to the Tibhirine monastery for a final time.[6] In 2019, Schumacher met Pope Francis, in which Pope Francis kissed his hands at a meeting, while he was visiting Morocco.[7]

Schumacher died on 21 November 2021 in Midelt, at the age of 97.[7][8]

In popular culture[edit]

Schumacher was portrayed[9] by actor Loïc Pichon in the 2010 drama film Of Gods and Men.[10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Pozzi, Anna (22 November 2021). "Jean-Pierre, the last monk who survived the Tibhirine massacre, has died". Avvenire (in Italian). Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  2. ^ Georgeon, Fr. Thomas; Vayne, François (9 April 2021). Simplemente cristianos: La vida y el mensaje de los beatos mártires de Tibhirine. Encuentro. p. 95. ISBN 9788490558843 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ a b c d e Zengarini, Lisa (22 November 2021). "Last survivor of Tibhirine massacre passes away". Vatican News. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Esteves, Junno (22 November 2021). "'He left in peace': Trappist monk, last survivor of the Algerian monastery massacre, dies at 97". America. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  5. ^ Patterson, Margot (13 June 2019). "The last monk of Tibhirine: 'God drove that history'". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Bref récit de notre pèlerinage en Algérie – 6 / 10 décembre 2018" (PDF). Dialogue Interreligieux Monastique. Dialogue Interreligieux Monastique. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  7. ^ a b Esteves, Junno (22 November 2021). "Trappist monk, last survivor of Algerian monastery attack, dead at 97". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  8. ^ Toutate, Issam (22 November 2021). "Last Survivor of Tibhirine Massacre in Algeria Dies Aged 97 in Midelt, Morocco". Morocco World News. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  9. ^ Jones, Emma (3 December 2010). "Monk tragedy Of Gods and Men proves surprise hit". BBC News. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Loic Pichon Filmography". Fandango. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 22 November 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
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