Saint Therese of Lisieux
Stories of the Saints
Inspiring Lives of Faith and Virtue
By: Ulysses C. Ybiernas | October 1, 2021
Saint Therese of Lisieux: The Little Flower
In the quiet town of Alencon, France, a child was born on January 2, 1873, to Louis and Zelie Martin. Little Therese, their youngest of nine children, was delicate from the start, often sickly, but with an unbreakable spirit. From an early age, she displayed a deep love for God, and though her life was not one of great public deeds or dramatic events, it was filled with a profound and simple devotion.
Therese’s childhood was marked by sorrow. She lost her mother to cancer when she was just four years old, and her beloved sister, Pauline, soon left home to join the Carmelite convent in Lisieux. Therese, feeling abandoned and alone, found solace in prayer. She had a natural faith that was deep and pure, and by the time she was nine, she felt a powerful calling to the religious life. But there were obstacles ahead.
In 1888, at the age of 15, Therese knew she was ready to enter the Carmelite convent, but her young age was a barrier. Undeterred, she traveled to Rome with her father and sister, hoping to gain the approval of the pope. When she met Pope Leo XIII, she boldly asked for permission to enter the convent, and the pope, impressed by her determination, granted his blessing.
She entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux at the age of 15, but her life there was far from easy. The convent was strict, and Therese, though devout, struggled with the hiddenness of her daily life. She was not called to great missions or grand gestures, but rather to the hidden life of prayer, sacrifice, and simplicity. She became known for her “Little Way”, a spiritual path of love and humility in the ordinary moments of life. Rather than seeking dramatic acts of holiness, she embraced small, unnoticed tasks with love and joy, seeing in them an opportunity to serve God.
Despite her deep faith, Therese faced personal challenges. She was plagued by doubts about her worthiness and struggled with feelings of spiritual dryness. Yet, in these moments of difficulty, she clung to her faith even more resolutely. "I will spend my heaven doing good on earth," she wrote in her autobiography, Story of a Soul. Her humility, trust in God, and surrender to His will became the essence of her holiness.
Tragically, Therese’s life was short. In 1896, at the age of 23, she was diagnosed with tuberculosis, a disease that would slowly rob her of her strength. Yet, even as she suffered, she never lost her peace. In her final days, she wrote beautiful letters of encouragement to her sisters, filled with love and joy, affirming her deep trust in God’s plan.
Therese died on September 30, 1897, just 24 years old. Her body was laid to rest in Lisieux, but her legacy would endure far beyond her short life. Her writings, especially Story of a Soul, became a spiritual treasure, inspiring countless people to live out their faith with simplicity, love, and humility. In 1925, less than 30 years after her death, Therese was canonized a saint by Pope Pius XI, recognized not for grand accomplishments, but for her childlike trust in God and her “Little Way” of holiness.
The body of Saint Therese of Lisieux lies incorruptible in Normandy, France
Therese once said, “I will not be a saint in heaven; I will be a saint on earth.” And indeed, her example continues to shine brightly, reminding all that holiness is not always found in the extraordinary, but in the small, hidden moments of love.
The world is your ship, not your home. - St. Saint Therese of Lisieux
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