Saturday 3 October 2026, the Prado Chapel hosted a morning event organised especially for children, as part of the celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the beatification of Blessed Antoine Chevrier.
From 10.00 am to 12.00 pm, children attending catechism classes in La Guillotière and the surrounding areas of Lyon gathered at Le Prado to gain a fresh insight into the life of Father Antoine Chevrier, his life, his prayer and the places that marked his journey in the footsteps of Jesus.
Led by the priests Gilles Vadon and Régis Charre, the morning began with a presentation and a video about Father Antoine Chevrier, before giving way to a a fun and spiritual journey through the chapel, accompanied by a booklet specially designed for children.
In front of the nativity scene: where it all begins
The first stage of the route took the children past the nursery, a place of particular significance in the spiritual life of Antoine Chevrier.
It was indeed whilst standing before the nativity scene on Christmas Eve 1856 that the young curate of Saint-André de la Guillotière reflected deeply on the mystery of the Incarnation and discovered a special calling to follow Jesus in poverty.
Drawing on the account in the Gospel of Luke, the children were invited to take some time to look at the figures in the nativity scene, and then to write down in their book what struck them: «What strikes you about what you see? Why?»
Then another question invited them to engage personally in prayer: «What do I want to say to Jesus?»
They thus came across this beautiful prayer by Father Chevrier: «Jesus, how right you were to be born in that stable. There, you are easily accessible. Everyone has the right to come and visit you, and that is how you want it to be, so that you may welcome everyone.»
A moment of silence then allowed everyone to look around, reflect and, if they wished, pray.
From the tomb to the altar: following in Jesus’ footsteps
The route continued past the Jesus’ tomb, depicted in the chapel. On either side of the tomb, the children spotted the figures of Mary Magdalene and Veronica.
After observing the figures and the tomb, they were invited to reflect on these words of Father Chevrier: «Jesus loves us so much that he gives his life for each and every one of us.»
The booklet also posed a question to them: «Is it easy for you to love like Jesus? How do you manage it?»
The route then took the children to the’altar, where they were able to discover the various symbols that remind us of Christ’s presence: the altar of bread and wine, the altar of the Word and the tabernacle, where the consecrated hosts are kept.
The priests explained the significance of these various elements and how, for Christians, the Eucharist enables us to remember Jesus and to draw strength from his presence, particularly when Holy Communion is brought to those who are unable to attend Mass.
The children were also invited to look up to see, above the altar, the dove depicted high up – a symbol to which Father Chevrier was particularly attached.
These words from the founder of the Prado accompanied them: «By saying, “This is my body”, Jesus found a way to remain with us always.»
Discovering the places where Antoine Chevrier lived
The morning also gave the children a more hands-on insight into the story of the Prado’s founder. In particular, they were able to discover Father Chevrier’s room, preserved and presented as a place commemorating his life.
After learning about her life and the places that had a profound impact on her, the children were also invited to join in her prayer «O Word! O Christ!» : « Grant, O Christ, that I may know you and love you. Fill me with great faith in you. »
A prayer that aptly sums up Antoine Chevrier’s deepest desire: to get to know Jesus, to love him, to listen to his Word and to put it into practice.
Praying together
Following this tour of discovery, the morning drew to a close with a time of prayer.
The children were given a prayer card asking for the canonisation of Blessed Antoine Chevrier and were invited to hold a personal intention close to their hearts.
Together, they prayed to the The Lord’s Prayer, and then sung on «Hail Mary».
Before setting off again, everyone was given a few mementos of the morning: a bookmark, a sticker, the discovery booklet and the prayer card.
A path that continues
But the journey doesn’t end there! A promise was made to the children: The exploration of Antoine Chevrier’s work will continue in Limonest and Saint-Fons, two other places of significance in the history of the Prado and the life of its founder.
This morning’s event therefore gave the youngest children the chance to learn about Father Antoine Chevrier in a simple, practical and joyful way: by watching, listening, sharing, singing and praying.
A lovely way to introduce the younger generations to this «friend of Jesus» and to invite them, in turn, to seek to know Jesus, to love him and to follow him.
This event was part of the three-day programme organised at the Prado on 2–4 October 2026, to mark the 40th anniversary of the beatification of Antoine Chevrier and the visit of Pope John Paul II to Lyon in 1986, the year of his beatification.
