Thérèse Martin was born on January 2nd, 1873 at 50, rue Saint Blaise in Alencon. She was baptised in Notre Dame Church when she was two days old.

Thérèse spent her early years in Alençon with her parents Louis and Zélie and her four sisters. Madame Martin died in 1877 and the family left Alençon for their new home in "Les Buissonnets" in Lisieux. Thérèse lived there for 10 years before taking Carmelite orders in 1888 and she died at the convent from tuberculosis nine years later.

 

 

As requested by her Mother Superior, Thérèse began to write her memoirs. One year after her death, they were published under the title "Story of a soul". The whole world was now able to appreciate "an ordinary life", her great qualities and the mysteries of her private relationship with God.

 

 

Thérèse's life

• 13/07/1858 : Zélie Guerin married Louis Martin in Alencon.
• 02/01/1873 : Thérèse was born in Alencon.
• 04/01/1873 : Thérèse was baptised in Notre Dame Church.
• 15/11/1877 : Thérèse moved to Lisieux.
• 09/04/1888 : Thérèse entered the Carmelite convent.
• 30/09/1897 : Thérèse died.

   

• 1923 : Beatification of Thérèse.
• 1925 : Canonisation of Thérèse.
• 1927 : Thérèse became patroness of missions.
• 1944 : Thérès was proclaimed secondary patron saint of France.
• 1997 : Pope John Paul II made Thérèse a Doctor of the Universal Church