Last Updated: Wednesday - 01/05/2011

St. Thérèse relics attracted 2M people

OTTAWA — As the Canadian visit of the relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux drew to an end, organizers are calling it the most successful Church event in the country since the visit of Pope John Paul to Canada in 1984.

Since the visit began on Sept. 16 in Vancouver, an estimated two million people have lined up, some of them for hours, to venerate the relics in churches, missions, convents, monasteries and pilgrimage sites.

After having travelled through Western Canada and Ontario, the relics of the Little Flower ended the Quebec and Labrador portion of the visit Dec. 5.

They then moved on to Atlantic Canada with visits to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, where the visit will end on Dec. 17.

In Quebec and Labrador an estimated 250,000 people spent time venerating the relics of the French Carmelite nun who died at the age of 24 in 1897.

To bring the relics to the more isolated communities during their Nov. 29-Dec. 2 visit to the Diocese of Labrador City-Schefferville, a helicopter was used.

In Wabush, it was snowing heavily when the relics arrived and they were transported to the parish church on a specially painted dogsled.

"In her spiritual masterpiece, The Story of a Soul, Thérèse spoke about her love for snow. We are honoured to welcome her relics to our winter wonderland!" said Bishop Douglas Crosby.

The Sept. 29-Oct. 1 visit of the relics to St. Theresa Church in Edmonton drew an estimated crowd of 30,000.

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