A Shrine in the heart of the city
Come on a pilgrimage to Alençon, the home of Saints Louis and Zélie Martin, father and mother of the little flower and the birthplace of St. Thérèse.
The house of Saints Louis and Zélie, and where St Thérèse was born, the Basilica of Notre-Dame, together with the town of Alençon itself, make a unique historical setting; this is where Louis and Zélie Martin lived, the first married couple to be canonized in 2015.
The nineteen years of married life of the parents of the patron saint of Missions were spent in this town, which is famous for its lace-making (the lace of queens, the queen of lace).
By visiting the Martin’s family home, pausing in the chapel next to it, viewing the exhibition, and walking round the town to look at sites connected with Thérèse and her family, you will find out about their daily life.
Louis and Zélie Martin and their children leave us a message, they offer us a spiritual journey, and they show us a pathway of love…
It is also a way of discovering the source of the Martin Family life, and St Therese life as she starts off in childhood on her ‘little way’.
In their steps, in our busy world, let us take a moment to linger…