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Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
Image: Céline Martin · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

A young Carmelite of Lisieux who died at 24 and was named a Doctor of the Church

Rank
Saint
Kind
Doctor of the Church, Religious, Virgin
Life
1873 – 1897
Era
19th century
Feast
1 October
Countries
France
France

Life story

Thérèse Martin was born on 2 January 1873 at Alençon, France, the youngest of the nine children of Louis Martin, a watchmaker, and Zélie Guérin, a lace-maker; both parents were later canonised too. Zélie died in 1877 and the family moved to Lisieux. Thérèse was sensitive in childhood, especially as her older sisters entered the Carmelite convent one by one.

In 1887 she went on pilgrimage to Rome with her father and during an audience with Leo XIII asked permission to enter the convent early. On 9 April 1888, aged fifteen, she entered the Carmel of Lisieux, where two of her sisters already lived, and took the name Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. She lived a quiet life of prayer and daily chores, and later helped in guiding the novices.

From 1896 she suffered from tuberculosis. At the request of her superiors she wrote her memories of her life in manuscripts. She died on 30 September 1897, aged 24, little known outside the convent.

Her manuscripts were edited by her sister and published in 1898 as Histoire d'une âme (Story of a Soul), were warmly received and were translated into many languages. Pius XI canonised her in 1925 and in 1927 named her, with Francis Xavier, patron of the missions. In 1944 she was declared co-patron of France with Joan of Arc. John Paul II named her a Doctor of the Church in 1997.

Works and witness

  • Entered the Carmel of Lisieux in 1888 at fifteen
  • Wrote manuscripts about her life at her superiors' request
  • Died of tuberculosis on 30 September 1897, aged 24
  • Her autobiography, published in 1898, was translated widely
  • Canonised in 1925, Doctor of the Church in 1997

Patron of

The missions, France (co-patron)

Saints from the same country

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Saint Louis IX of France, Saint Joan of Arc, Saint Francis de Sales

References

  • Martyrologium Romanum
  • Dicastery for the Causes of Saints – biographical profile
  • Thérèse of Lisieux, Histoire d'une âme (Story of a Soul)

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.