In search of St. Thérèse

Pilgrims flock to Alencon to glimpse fragments of the Little Flower's life

By TED FITZGERALD
Special to the WCR
Alencon, France

Since her early death in 1897, many desire to visit places frequented there by the Little Flower.

Less well known are places associated with her family's life in Alencon, her birthplace. Visiting here gives glimpses into the saint's early life and that of her parents - pious, hard-working people - both of whom were once attracted to the religious life.

The birthplace of the saint is in an unassuming, neat, two-storey house that was the home of her mother before her marriage. Here, visitors are conducted through tiny rooms filled with the artifacts, photos and toys of a family 100 years ago.

Interest in St. Thérèse has intensified recently, partly as a result of the tours of her relics in North America and the simplicity of her message.

Zelie Martin conducted her business of supervising independent Alencon Point lace makers from her office here. Three years before the birth of Thérèse, ninth of the Martin children, the family moved here where Louis Martin managed Zelie's business. His little desk, chair and accoutrements are also on display.

A visit to the room where the saint was born on Jan. 2, 1873, is the high point of the tour. It opens into the 1925 chapel built next door to honour the saint.

A half-kilometre walk takes visitors to huge Eglise Notre Dame. This church is noted for its spectacular, three sided flamboyant gothic porch. It is so impressive that an old quatrain suggests that the finest place for God to visit in Notre Dame would be outside!

The massive nave witnessed the marriage on July 12, 1858 of Zelie Guerin and Louis Martin at the main altar beneath Notre Dame's spectacular Gloria.

And, sadly, the ancient temple also saw, 19 years later, the funeral of Zelie, at 46 years of age. Louis then moved his family and four-year old Thérèse, to be near relatives in Lisieux.

Alencon was liberated in August 1944 by Free French forces under renowned General Leclerc, but not before Allied bombs blew out a stained glass window portraying the baptism of the saint.

Remarkably, it was discovered that another window, earlier rejected by the artist, still existed.

Today the "new" window forms a brilliant backdrop for Notre Dame's baptismal chapel, sharing the room with a large statue of the saint and the ancient, worn, stone font where Thérèse was admitted to the Church two days after her birth.

Energetic walkers may choose to cross the placid little Sarthe River and visit the Monsort district. This was the home neighbourhood of the Martin family between 1858-71 where they attended the parish church of St. Pierre and where Louis had his little jewelry shop.

And it is likely that Saturdays found the Martin's trooping across the Pont-Neuf to join other basket-bearing citizens at the huge produce market. Place La Magdeleine would be a sea of colour, filled with the sounds and smells of this weekly gathering.

It is still held beneath the imposing pinnacles and flying buttresses of the north walls of L'Eglise Notre Dame.

Interest in St. Thérèse has intensified recently, partly as a result of the tours of her relics in North America and the simplicity of her message.

She has been named, co-patron saint of foreign missions and co-protector of France with Joan of Arc. Schools, churches and towns are graced with her name and her intercession is sought more frequently today in the promotion of vocations to the religious life.

Her feast day is celebrated on Oct. 1.

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