Pierre de Luxembourg

Pierre de Luxembourg (Peter of Luxemburg) (1369–1387) was a Catholic cardinal. He was beatified in 1527.

Peter was born 20 July 1369, in Ligny-en-Barrois, Meuse, France and was the second of the six children of Guy of Luxembourg, Count of Ligny, and Saint-Pol, and Mahaut de Châtillon.

Both of Peter's parents died while he was still young. He was raised by his aunt, Jeanne, countess of Orgières. In 1377 he was sent to study at the University of Paris. At the age of ten, he was selected to be canon of the cathedral chapter of Notre Dame de Paris. In 1381 he became a canon of the cathedral chapter of Notre Dame de Chartres and was elevated to Archdeacon of Dreux in the diocese of Chartres. The following year he was selected to be Archdeacon of Cambrai.

In 1384 the episcopal see of Metz was vacant. The selection of a new bishop was complicated by the Western Schism in which France supported Antipope Clement VII while the Holy Roman Emperor supported Pope Urban VI. Antipope Clement VII named Peter as the new bishop of Metz on 10 February 1384. He was able to temporarily occupy Metz with armed troops, but was later forced to withdraw. About the same time Pope Urban VI selected Tilman Vuss de Bettenburg as bishop of Metz.

At the request of King Charles VI of France and John, Duke of Berry, Peter was made a cardinal deacon by Antipope Clement VII on 15 April 1384. He received the diaconal title of San Giorgio in Velabro.

Peter died of anorexia at age eighteen on 2 July 1387, in a Carthusian monastery at Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. According to his own wishes he was buried in the common cemetery of paupers. When miracles began to be reported at his tomb, his brother Jean ordered the construction of a church dedicated to Pope Saint Celestine V to which his remains were transferred.

The topic of Peter's canonization was raised at the Council of Basel (1431–1449), but without any conclusion. In 1527 he was beatified.

Peter was declared patron saint of Avignon in 1432. As such, the city was placed under his protection by Vice-Legate Sforva during a plague outbreak in 1640.

His cult following included the cities of Metz, Paris, Verdun and Luxembourg. In 1597, his relics were displayed in Paris, but during the French Revolution they were destroyed, however some of his relics remain in St. Didier in Avignon.