Saint Therese of Lisieux commemorated on October 1

Saint Therese of Lisieux, born Thérèse Françoise Marie Martin, is commemorated on October 1. A French Carmelite nun and mystic, she is recognized as a patron saint of missionaries and, alongside Joan of Arc, a patron saint of France.

Known for her spiritual philosophy of the ‘little way’ or spiritual childhood, Therese emphasized finding holiness through small, everyday acts performed with love. Her posthumous writings, including ‘Story of a Soul’, have had a significant impact on believers.

She was beatified in 1923 and canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925. In 1997, she was named a Doctor of the Church, becoming only the third woman to receive the title. The Basilica of Lisieux, built in her honor, serves as one of France’s major pilgrimage sites.