Marseille Cathedral

Saint Eugene de Mazenod in his final years

When Eugene de Mazenod became Bishop of Marseille he found the old cathedral too small for the growing city. It took him 14 years to convince the civic authorities that a new bigger church was necessary. Finally the agreement was reached but the location of the new cathedral didn’t thrill Eugene. Bishop Eugene wanted the new cathedral closer to the city centre. The government insisted on the location opposite to the Bishop House, in the docks. This was to have a serious inconvenience: the building would be outside the city centre and away from the populated area. Besides, the new building would encroach on the old cathedral and part of that venerable building would have to be torn down to make way for the new cathedral. Unfortunately the protests of the Bishop were not to have any effect.
     The foundation stone was blessed by Bishop Eugene in 1852. Work on the building was to last 40 ears. The colossal neo-Byzantine building was consecrated by Eugene’s third successor to the See of Marseille. It is 140 meters in length and the dome is 60 meters high inside. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Mary Major.

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Saint Eugene never saw the Cathedral but the building reminds of his care for the diocese still. After his death Bishop Eugene de Mazenod was buried in the old cathedral. On May 7, 1897, the remains of the bishops of Marseilles were transported into the funeral crypt of the new cathedral. When they drew from the Major’s ancient vault the over two meters long coffin of Bishop Eugène de Mazenod, the workers exclaimed, “Was he ever a tall man!” “They spoke more truth than they knew,” commented a witness of the ceremony, “The coffin their hands touched and their arms bore did, indeed, contain the mortal remains of one of the greatest bishops of this century and of all centuries. We hope that, in the future known to God, the God upon whom we trustingly wait, the holy prelate whose completely intact body has been resting for some days now before the altar in the funeral crypt of the bishops of Marseilles will be the object of a new translation.”

On the occasion of his beatification his body was moved to a chapel behind the main altar. Standing at his tomb I could appreciate a wonderful view of the whole church. It looks as if he still presides over the assembly from his place of
eternal rest. One of the graces I had during my few visits to Marseille was visiting this cathedral and the chapel with the Tomb of Our Saintly Founder. Simply I couldn’t resist visiting him every time I was coming to the city. The highlight of my time in Marseille was the Mass I celebrated on his Tomb. During his life he insisted that his Oblates would spend 30 minutes every evening together as a community before the Blessed Sacrament. The service called Orison is still practiced in Oblate Homes. For Eugene it was the way to connect with his spiritual sons. He would say: “At Orison, when we gather around the Lord we are close to each other too.” Celebrating the Mass at his Tomb I did feel the closeness he promised us.

Visiting the Cathedral we need to make our way to the left wing where a beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary is. During the founder’s life it was in the old cathedral. Then, as nowadays, it was carried solemnly on the shoulders of men during the procession on August 15 through the streets of the city of Marseille. Eugene always presided at the celebration and was able to reach the bottom of the people’s hearts. His love for the Virgin was shared by the people of his seaside diocese.

Statue of the Virgin venerated at the time of Eugene an today

The Bishop chair given to Saint Eugene de Mazenod is still used by Archbishops of Marseille