-
Marie-Francoise Therese Martin is Born
The Society of the Little Flower Better known as Therese, this now famous saint was born to Louis and Zelie Martin, both of whom are now Blessed, in Alencon, France. The couple had a total of nine children, seven girls and two boys. Only five of the girls survived to adulthood. They were Marie, Pauline, Leonie, Celine, and Therese. -
Zelie Martin dies
One year after this photo was taken, Therese's beloved mother, Zelie, a lace maker, dies from breast cancer. Celine runs to her oldest sister, Marie, and asks her to be her new mother. Therese, not wanting to be outdone, rushes over to Pauline and says, "You must be my mother now." -
The Martins move to Lisieux
The Martin family moves from Alencon to Lisieux for a fresh start after Zelie dies. Their house is called Les Buissonnets. Therese will later be known as Therese of Lisieux. -
Therese enters the Abbey School of the Benedictine Nuns
Therese later writes: "the five years (1881 - 1886) I spent there were the saddest of my life."
Here she is pictured with Celine, the sister closest to her in age, and who was her best friend. -
Pauline enters Carmel
Therese now feels as if she has lost her second mother. She starts to suffer from continual headaches and insomnia. -
Therese is cured
Sick in bed, to the point of being delirious, Therese's sisters stay by her side, praying for her. Amidst their prayer, a statue of the Blessed Mother under the title of Our Lady of the Smile, comes to life and smiles at Therese. From this point, Therese is cured. It is also the feast of Pentecost. -
Therese's First Holy Communion
Later in her autobiography, Story of a Soul, Therese will write the following about her First Communion: “It was a kiss of love, I felt myself loved, and I replied, ‘I love You and I give myself to You forever." -
Marie enters Carmel
As a second sister enters the Lisieux Carmel, Therese's desire to enter Carmel grows. She is still too young. -
Therese's Christmas Conversion
After coming home from midnight Mass with her family, Therese overhears a comment her father makes about her childishness. Therese experiences a conversion in her heart. From here on, she begins to think of others before herself. -
Therese asks her father to enter Carmel
In the garden, behind Les Buissonnets, Louis, whom Therese called "my dear king," gave permission to Therese, whom he called "my little queen," to enter Carmel. During this meeting, Louis picked a blossom of saxifrage from the garden and gave it to Therese, telling her that she was a little flower that God had always eagerly cared for. It was the feast of Pentecost. -
Therese petitions Pope Leo XII to enter Carmel
Therese has been told by the bishop that she cannot enter Carmel at so young an age. (She had put her hair up for this meeting in an attempt to appear older.)
Louis, Celine, and Therese were on a pilgrimage to Rome. In an audience with Pope Leo XIII, Therese is told explicitly that she should not say anything to the Holy Father. In a burst of courage and encouraged by Celine, Therese boldly makes her case before the pope. He receives her kindly. -
Therese enters Carmel
Since Therese's appeal to the Holy Father, word has gotten back to the superiors in Lisieux. Her courage and faith pay off, and Therese is one of the youngest to ever be accepted into the Lisieux Carmel. -
Therese makes her profession
Therese takes as her religious name Sister Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face. On this day, a great peace comes over Therese. -
Leonie enters the Visitation Convent in Caen
Leonie had entered this convent before in 1887, but didn't stay. -
Therese plays the role of Joan of Arc
This is Therese's first play. She had a great admiration for Joan of Arc, a patron of France. -
Louis Martin dies
Louis had been suffering from dementia since 1888. In 1889 he is hospitalized at Bon Sauveur in Caen. In 1892, he becomes paralyzed from the waist down and returns to Lisieux. Celine stays home to care for him. He is pictured here with Celine and Leonie. He is able to visit Carmel for the last time in May of 1892. -
Celine enters Carmel
Celine has long known that she has a religious vocation. She postoned it to care for her father. Now all five sisters have entered religious life, four of whom are in the Carmel at Lisieux. -
Therese gives Mother Agnes her first manuscript
Mother Agnes is the religious name taken by Pauline. She had instructed Therese to write down her memories. The manuscript Therese gives Mother Agnes on this day will be come the first part of her autobiography, Story of a Soul. -
Therse hemorrhages for the first time
Therese coughs up blood into her handerchief while alone in her cell Holy Thursday night, going into Good Friday. She is happy to suffer for Jesus. -
Therese writes Manuscript B
Therese addresses this manuscript to Jesus. It will become the second part of Story of a Soul. -
Therese falls seriously ill
"I have found happiness and joy on earth, but solely in suffering, for I've suffered very much here below; you must make it known to souls . . . "Since my First Communion, since the time I asked Jesus to change all the consolations of this earth into bitterness for me, I had a perpetual desire to suffer. I wasn't thinking, however, of making suffering my joy; this is a grace that was given to me later on. Up until then, it was like a spark hidden beneath the ashes, and like blossoms on a tree t -
Therese writes Manuscript C
Therese writes the last segment that will be included in Story of a Soul. She does this from her sick bed, sometimes being wheeled outside. -
Therese receives her last communion
Therese receives her last communion. In July, she was moved to the infirmary where she received her last sacraments. She will enter a period of severe suffering from August 15-27. -
Therese dies
Therese's Last Day On this Thursday at around 7:20pm, St. Therese dies. Sister Genevieve (this is Celine's religious name) recounts the last words and actions of her beloved little sister:
". . Oh! I would not want to suffer less!" Then, looking at her crucifix: "Oh! . . . I love him. . . . My God. I . . . love . . . you!" -
Therese is buried
Therese is buried in the Lisieux cemetary. -
First edition of Story of a Soul is printed
2000 copies are printed to be circulated to other Carmels around the world. Therese's message of her Little Way spread beyond the walls of Carmels and take hold in people's hearts. -
Therese is beatified
Pope Pius XI beatifies Therese. She is now refered to as Blessed Therese of the Child Jesus. The Carmel in Lisieux receives an average of 800 to 1,000 letters each day expressing their love and devotion to Therese. -
Therese is canonized
Video on Therese's Life Pope Pius XI canonizes Therese as Saint. 50,000 people attend the solemn Mass. Later that night 500,000 people are counted in Saint Peter's Square. -
Therese is declared Doctor of the Church
Pope John Paul II declares St. Therese as Doctor of the Church. She is only one of three women to hold that title. Along with her are St. Catherine of Siena and St. Teresa of Avila, of whom Therese was named after and was also a Carmelite. Doctor of the Church is a title given to a very selct few saints who have contributed very important writings to the Church. -
I "meet" Therese
St. Michael Church in GreenvilleWith a group of young women from my church, St. Michael, I go on a vocational pilgrimage to France to "meet" the great French female saints. Among them are St. Catherine Laboure in Paris, St. Bernadette in Lourdes and Never, St. Joan of Arc in Rouen, of course, St. Therese in Lisieux. I fall in love with all of them, but especially form a strong spiritual friendship with Therese. Upon my return from the trip, I immediately read Story of a Soul and have since had a strong devotion to her.
