Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (1873–1897), also known as Thérèse of the Child Jesus or the Little Flower, is one of the most beloved figures in modern Catholic spirituality. Although she lived only 24 years and never left the Carmelite convent of Lisieux, her spiritual influence has reached far beyond her time and geography.

Born in Alençon, France, Thérèse Martin grew up in a deeply devout family. The early loss of her mother marked her profoundly, shaping both her sensitivity and her intense longing for God. At the age of 15 — after much perseverance and determination — Thérèse was admitted to the Carmelite convent in Lisieux, where two of her sisters were already nuns.

Life in the monastery was simple and outwardly uneventful, yet Thérèse lived it with remarkable interior depth. She developed what she called “the Little Way,” a spirituality based on humility, complete trust in God’s love, simplicity, and transforming even the smallest actions of daily life into offerings of love. In her view, holiness was not reserved for extraordinary heroes or mystics, but was accessible to anyone who chose to live with love, gentleness, and a childlike confidence in God.

At the request of her prioress, Thérèse began writing down her spiritual experiences in a notebook that would later become the famous work “Story of a Soul.” Published after her death, the book touched millions of readers with its sincerity, depth, and clarity of faith.

Thérèse died of tuberculosis in 1897, at the age of 24. Soon after, her reputation spread throughout the world, inspiring pilgrimages, devotion, and countless testimonies of spiritual transformation. She was canonized in 1925, and in 1997 Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church, a title reserved for the most exceptional thinkers and mystics of Christian tradition.

Today, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux remains a symbol of simplicity, unconditional love, and total trust in God. Her message — that “everything is grace” and that even the smallest gestures, when offered with love, can change the world — continues to inspire people of all backgrounds and beliefs.