Originally Published on OMIWORLD.ORG

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By Fabio CIARDI, OMI

For the Oblates, the Feast of the Assumption holds particular significance, as it commemorates the profound spiritual experience of Saint Eugene de Mazenod on August 15, 1822.

The dogma of the Assumption of Mary, body and soul, into heaven was formally defined in 1950 by Pope Pius XII, affirming a tradition that stretches back to the earliest days of the Church. Mary, being “full of grace” and untouched by the stain of sin, was fully united by the Father to the resurrection of Jesus, ensuring that her body would never experience corruption.

August 15, 1822

For the Oblates, the Feast of the Assumption holds particular significance, as it commemorates the profound spiritual experience of Saint Eugene de Mazenod on August 15, 1822. On that day, the statue of Mary Immaculate was presented for the veneration of the faithful in the Missionary Church of Aix. Eugene spoke of the moment with the deepest affection and spiritual fervor. He had a profound inner experience, which he immediately shared in a letter to Father Tempier:

“How I wish I could share with you all the consolation I felt on this beautiful day dedicated to Mary, our Queen!” Eugene felt the tender, motherly gaze of Mary resting upon him. Through her, he perceived the beauty of the Family that had only recently been born, and he intuited the graces that would always accompany it: “It seemed to me that I could see and touch with my hands the seeds of the highest virtues within it, and that it could accomplish immense good. (…) I found its Rules and Statutes deeply moving, and its ministry seemed sublime, as it truly is.”

As a result of this profound experience, the statue of the Immaculate Virgin, which now resides on the altar of the General House in Rome, has come to be known as “Our Lady of the Smile.”