Fred Marius was installed as the new superintendent of the France District on 23 March by General Superintendent Carla Sunberg and Eurasia Regional Director Mark Louw. 

He succeeds Joseph Toguyera, who was the first French national to serve as district superintendent. Marius first came to France in 1988 at 21, shortly after completing his military service on his home island of Martinique. What began as a vacation turned into something more—after living in Paris for six months, he was offered a job and decided to stay. He was first introduced to the Church of the Nazarene in 1991 when a childhood friend invited him to a wedding celebration where he met Pastor Noêl Alvès. At the time, Marius was part of a small praise and prayer group, and the Nazarene church made space available for them to meet in their building. From there, he offered his gifts in service to the church through music, which eventually led to greater responsibilities, and by 1995, he became a member of the church.

Throughout his years in the France District, Marius has served as senior pastor of the La Vie Éternelle Jn.17.3 church since 2005. He also served as a District Advisory Board member and as district treasurer from 1999 to 2012. He was ordained as an elder in the Church of the Nazarene in 2022 and continues to serve bi-vocationally as a church pastor in Torcy.

“As I have seen in my journey, God uses the things that don’t always catch the eye but [instead] looks at the heart and life of our churches,” Marius said. “Some of our churches are not just holding out for better days but innovating, projecting themselves forward, and forging ahead during difficult times. There’s also the interest that our members are showing in belonging to the Church of the Nazarene, which isn’t necessarily the closest church to their home but the church where they can better live their faith and where they can put their gifts to good use in service to God.”

Marius is married to Mary-Odile, and they have two grown children. Outside of his ministry, he enjoys gardening, DIY projects, watching soccer and the Tour de France on TV, running, and sharing family meals and barbecues. 

--Church of the Nazarene Eurasia Region