Saint Therese of Lisieux 3rd Class Relic medallion

Saint Therese of Lisieux 3rd Class Relic pendant and chain.

"I will seek out a means of getting to Heaven by a little way – very short and very straight little way that is wholly new. We live in an age of inventions; nowadays the rich need not trouble to climb the stairs, they have lifts instead. Well, I mean to try and find a lift by which I may be raised unto God, for I am too tiny to climb the steep stairway of perfection. […] Thine Arms, then, O Jesus, are the lift which must raise me up even unto Heaven. To get there I need not grow. On the contrary, I must remain little, I must become still less."

- St Therese of Lisieux

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, also known as Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, is one of the most beloved saints of the Catholic Church, renowned for her "Little Way" of spiritual simplicity and humility. She was born Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin on January 2, 1873, in Alençon, France.

Thérèse experienced the death of her mother at a young age, which deeply affected her. Following in the footsteps of her sisters, who had entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux, Thérèse sought to join the religious life despite being underage. After persistent appeals to Pope Leo XIII, she was granted permission to enter the Carmelite convent at the age of 15.

Within the Carmelite convent, Thérèse lived a life of simplicity, prayer, and self-sacrifice. She embraced what she called her "Little Way," which consisted of performing small acts of love and kindness with great love for God. Thérèse believed that even the smallest actions, when done with love, could have immense spiritual significance.

Thérèse's spirituality was deeply influenced by her reading of Scripture, particularly the writings of Saint Paul, as well as her devotion to the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary. She experienced periods of spiritual darkness and doubt but persevered in her trust in God's love and mercy.

Thérèse's profound spiritual insights were recorded in her autobiography, "The Story of a Soul," which she wrote under obedience to her superiors. The book, published after her death, became a spiritual classic and has been translated into numerous languages.

Thérèse's life was cut short by tuberculosis, and she died on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24. Her death was marked by a profound sense of peace and serenity, and she was hailed as a saint by her fellow nuns soon after.

Thérèse was canonized as a saint by Pope Pius XI on May 17, 1925, and was later declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II in 1997. She is known as the patron saint of missions and is revered for her simple yet profound spirituality, her devotion to prayer, and her unwavering trust in God's love and mercy. Thérèse's "Little Way" continues to inspire millions of people around the world to seek holiness in the ordinary moments of daily life.