Saint Eugene de Mazenod

[CyrilSebastian]

                          Saint Eugene de Mazenod's zeal for the missions was stirred through contact with the fervent companions       
                          such as Forbin-Jansen, the future bishop of Nancy and the founder of the Association of the Holy Childhood.

[CyrilSebastian]

                              Charles Joseph Eugene was born in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France on August 1, 1782.   
                               When Eugene was eight years old, his family fled France, leaving their possessions behind.   
                                They started a long and increasingly difficult eleven year exile.

[CyrilSebastian]

Eugene's family went to Italy. Eugene became a boarder at the College of Nobles in Turin.   
A move to Vienna, Austria meant the end of formal schooling.

[CyrilSebastian]

When Eugene was in Palermo in Sicily, he was invited to become part of the household     
of the Duke and Duchess of Cannizaro as a companion to their two sons.

[CyrilSebastian]

Eugene was welcomed by the Zinelli family in Venice. One of the sons was a priest Bartolo Zinelli.   
He saw to the education of Eugene.