Sainte-Thérèse of Lisieux, the little path to holiness (2/2)

2024-02-13T04:09:41.250Z

Highlights: Sainte-Thérèse of Lisieux, the little path to holiness (2/2) Listen to the rest of the story dedicated to Saint-Théryse, told by Virginie Girod. Themes covered: Catholic religion, Carmel, Vatican, “At the heart of a history” ‘At the Heart of History’ is available on Versailles + Napoleon + subscription for example. Discover “The Heart of history’s” new episodes on our archives.

Listen to the rest of the story dedicated to Saint-Thérèse of Lisieux, told by Virginie Girod. Very young, Thérèse decided to devote her life to religion, going so far as to meet the Pope to anticipate her entry into the Carmel of Lisieux. The day before her 15th birthday, Thérèse finally receives the long-awaited news: she will be able to join the Carmelites! There she finds Pauline and Marie, her older sisters, but life is difficult: it is cold, there is little food and the nuns have nothing in their own name, to the point that the use of personal pronouns is banned. Thérèse puts up with all this, convinced that suffering brings her closer to God. She wants to move towards holiness by the “little way”, that is to say that of absolute humility. During the winter of 1894-1895, her sister Pauline, elected prioress of the convent, asked Thérèse to write her memoirs. The notebook she fills is the future manuscript of History of a Soul! The following winter, the young Carmelite fell ill. The symptoms, a cough laden with blood, leave no room for doubt: Thérèse has tuberculosis. The idea of ​​going to Heaven delighted her and she hurried to finish writing these memoirs! On September 30, 1897, after a final ecstasy, Thérèse died. His manuscripts are sent to the bishop who sends a copy to each Carmel, according to custom. Against all expectations, the book is a success! The fame of the work soon passed through the gates of the cloisters. The little Carmelite from Lisieux became a French, then international, celebrity. Canonized in 1925, she became the fourth woman Doctor of the Church in 1997. Themes covered: Catholic religion, Carmel, Vatican