Why has the Church called these spouses blessed?  What difference do their lives make for the women and men of today?  How can they accompany us on our own pilgrimage?  In honor of the beatification of the father and mother of St. Therese of the Child Jesus of the Holy Face, I wrote a short article to explore these questions:  "Blessed Zelie and Louis Martin, Companions on Our Journey."

This film of the candlelight processions of the reliquary of St. Therese that take place for the feast every year at Lisieux was generously contributed as a feast-day gift by its producer, Susan Ehlert.  Please view this four-minute film at http://www.thereseoflisieux.org/celebrating-st-thereses-feast/

Several generous translators have contributed to thereseoflisieux.org English translations of the conference "The Martin Couple: A Path to Sanctity that Imparts Faith" and the homily "The human charm of Christian sanctity" delivered by Cardinal Saraiva Martins at the celebrations at Alencon and Lisieux, July 12-13, 2008, of the 150th anniversary of the marriage of the Venerable Zelie and Louis Martin, the mother and father of St. Therese of Lisieux, when the Cardinal announced that they are to be beatified on Mission Sunday, October 19, 2008. 

Read the article "Louis and Zelie Martin: A Marriage of Love," by Guy Gaucher, O.C.D., auxiliary bishop emeritus of Bayeux and Lisieux and distinguished scholar of St. Therese.  This was published in French by Feu et Lumiere, July/August 2004 issue.  I thank the authors, publishers, and translators.

Fr. James Geoghegan, O.C.D. kindly permitted me to post his 1974 conference about Louis and Zelie Martin, "The Parents of St. Therese of Lisieux."  This conference, one of the few modern articles on this topic in English, has not dated since 1974.

To read the story of the miraculous cure of the Italian child Pietro Schiliro, told by his parents, please visit http://www.thereseoflisieux.org/the-miracle/?SSScrollPosition=0  On July 3, 2008, Pope Benedict signed the decree certifying this miracle for the beatification of the Venerable Zelie and Louis Martin; the ceremony is on Mission Sunday, October 19, at Lisieux.