Born of the French nobility, he was born in Aix- en- Provence (France), the 1st August 1782. He is the son of Charles Antoine DE MAZENOD and Marie – Rose JOANNIS.

At 9 years old, his family leaves for exile due to the prosecution the nobility was victim at the time. They start the journey by Nice, and then they got to Turin, Venice, Naples and Palermo. In spite of the religious and behaviour disorder seen in Venice at that epoch, he met a priest named Bartolo ZINELLI who informed him on religious life. It is through their conversations that his vocation to live in sanctity awoke.

He came back in France at 20. It is on Friday lent 1807 that he converted and fully came back to God. His desire to become priest revived. Even if his mother tried hard to stop him, he was consecrated priest on the 21st December 1811. He was then aged 29. At last he found himself free and immediately dedicated himself to serve the Church through helping young people, prisoners and Exile.

He gathered his friends and founded a missionaries’ congregation in Provence, where he was born in order to renew people’s faith and Christian life.

The 17th February 1826 Constitutions and Roles of the Congregation to which he gave the name of Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate were approved by Pope Leon XII.

The 14th October 1937, Father Eugène DE MAZENOD id appointed Bishop of Marseille by Pope Gregory XVI. In 1841, the missionaries OMI has started to spread: on of them is first sent to England. 6 others were sent to Montreal, Canada on December 2nd 1841.

Lord Bishop Eugène DE MAZENOD died at 78 years old on May 21st 1861. On May 22nd 1935, his books were approved by Roma. The 14th January 1936, Pope Pius XI signed the papers consecrating him beatification. In 1970, Pope Paul XI published writings approving his great spiritual qualities. He is beatificated on 19th October 1975.

Pope John Paul the second canonized him the third December 1995. Bishop Eugène de MAZENOD is the first French Bishop to be canonized since 1995.