St Eugene de Mazenod (a heart as big as the world!)
Oil on Canvas (100cm x 80cm) 2020
This painting was commissioned by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate for thr 150th anniversary of the establishment of their religious order. The Oblates focus on working in poor communities and from their early days they befriended and championed those who didn’t have a voice in society.
About this painting
St. Eugene de Mazenod was the founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI). He established the congregation in 1816 to serve the poor and to evangelise the neglected rural populations of post-Revolutionary France.
In 1837, he was appointed Bishop of Marseille, where he revitalized the diocese, fostered priestly vocations, built churches, and became a tireless advocate for the poor and marginalized.
This painting is imagined between 1840 and 1845, portraying Eugene in his late fifties or early sixties — offering a glimpse into his appearance in middle age.
Set on a bustling afternoon at the Old Port of Marseille, the scene captures Eugene in conversation with a fisherwoman and her young daughter. The pair, whose daily lives revolve around selling fish, mending nets, and preparing the day’s catch for market, are visibly uplifted by the bishop’s presence.
Though formally educated in French, Eugene was also fluent in the local dialect (patois) of Marseille — the mother tongue of many working-class families. This linguistic gift enabled him to form genuine, heartfelt connections with ordinary people. Moments like these, simple yet sincere, brought him profound joy.
In this tender exchange, the young girl offers Eugene a gleaming scallop shell she has found — a traditional symbol of pilgrimage and spiritual journey. More than a child’s gift, the gesture carries deep symbolic meaning.
Eugene receives it with warmth and understanding, fully aware of its spiritual resonance. It is a moment that reflects not only his humility but his capacity to see grace in everyday encounters.
The phrase “a heart as big as the world” is often used to describe St. Eugene’s immense compassion. At his canonization in 1995, Pope John Paul II echoed this sentiment, declaring:
“He had a heart as big as the world.”
This was more than poetic praise. It spoke to Eugene’s unwavering dedication to:
- the spiritually abandoned of post-revolutionary France,
- the poor, the orphaned, and the working class,
- and, ultimately, to people across the globe as the Oblates’ mission spread to every continent.
His love and vision knew no borders — truly, his heart embraced all of humanity.