Sanctuaries in France
ALENÇON
Orne / Normandie
Martinian and Theresian Pilgrimage
THE SANCTUARY
Alençon keeps the memory of a family with an exceptional destiny. At the age of 26, Zélie GUERIN meets Louis MARTIN on the Sarthe bridge in Alençon and has a feeling: “it is the one that I have prepared For you” The wedding takes place a few months later, on July 13, 1858 at the church of Notre-Dame. It is the starting point of the life of the couple who led him on the path of holiness on a daily basis.
They live many commitments and they will experience deep love from where will be born nine children among which the last one, “The little Thérèse” (Sainte-Thérèse of Baby Jesus).
She was born in 1873, at 50 rue Saint-Blaise in a house that can be visited.
In October 2015, the couple Louis and Zélie MARTIN was canonized in Rome.
A heritage to discover
While going through the city of Alençon, get closer to the main stages of the life of Louis, Zélie and Thérèse … The bridge of Sarthe (place of their meeting), the old watchmaker of Louis, Martin pavilion , the House of the Martin family (birthplace of Therese) …
Unique know-how
Alençon bases its reputation on one of the most delicate arts, as exceptional as refined, that of needle lace. Created in the 17th century, it achieved international notoriety in 1851 World’s Fair, where it was called “queens lace and queen of lace”. Today, it is classified as Intangible World Heritage by UNESCO.
