Background
He gave up a position at his father"s bank, lived the life of a playboy, left his wife and their daughter, and fathered an illegitimate son with another woman.
He gave up a position at his father"s bank, lived the life of a playboy, left his wife and their daughter, and fathered an illegitimate son with another woman.
Jacques was a young dreamer aimlessly in life. Brought up a Roman Catholic, he abandoned religion by the age of 17. On 24 February 1954, to fund the purchase of a boat, he went to rob Alexandre Sylberstein, a money changer, of gold coins.
Sylberstein was struck but not unconscious, and raised the alarm.
Fesch fled, losing his glasses, and shot wildly at Jean Vergne, a pursuing police officer, killing him. Minutes later he was arrested.
Murdering a police officer was a heinous crime and public opinion, inflamed by newspaper reports, was strongly in favour of his execution. The Cour d"assises of Paris condemned him to death on 6 April 1957.
At first Fesch was indifferent to his plight and mocked his lawyer"s Catholic faith.
However, after a year in prison, he experienced a profound mystical conversion, became very pious, and bitterly regretted his crime. His last journal entry was "In five hours, I will see Jesus!". An appeal for clemency to President René Coty failed, and he was guillotined.
On September 21, 1987 the Archbishop of Paris, Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, opened a diocesan inquiry into his life.
The cause for his beatification was formally opened in 1993. This has proved controversial, with those who feel his early crimes make him unfitting as a role model opposed to those who emphasize the hope of his final conversion.
"Les Amis de Jacques Fesch". Website in French:.