Saint Marcellin Champagnat was a French priest born on May 20, 1789, in the village of Marlhes. He founded the Marist Brothers, a religious congregation dedicated to the education of young people, particularly the poor. Champagnat believed in the importance of nurturing faith and character in children through education. He established his first school in 1817 and worked tirelessly to expand the Marist mission. Champagnat emphasized a caring and personal approach to teaching, which became a hallmark of the Marist educational philosophy. He was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church on April 18, 1999.