Sts Louis and Zelie Martin

A detail from the banner during their canonization in 2015.

Very few married couples have been elevated to sainthood. Of course we remember St Joseph and the Blessed Mother, as well St. Joachim and St. Anne, Elizabeth and Zechariah, and most recently another couple joined them. They are the parents of yet another saint, and so we can say that there are three saints from the same family, a rare feat. Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin are the parents of St Therese of Lisieux. Louis was born in 1823 and wanted to become a monk, but he was poor in his studies of Latin, and became a watchmaker instead. Zelie was born in 1831 and she also wanted to become a nun, but with some breathing problems, she was refused entry into the convent. Instead she became a professional lace-maker, to such an extent that her husband left his job and helped her in the production of Alencon lace, which became very popular all over France.

Their love for each other continued to blossom, and they got married on July 12, 1858, at the Basilica of Notre Dame in Alencon. It was the same time when the Blessed Mother was appearing to Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes. They wanted to live a celibate life without any sexual relations between them. But when their spiritual director heard of this strange marital arrangement, he reprimanded them, and insisted that this is not the way married couple should live their lives together. Apparently they must have listened to him, because in 13 years they had 9 children. Only 5 of them lived into adulthood and they were all girls, and all of them became nuns.

An Icon oft he Martin family, including all deceased babies

Marie Louise lived 80 years, Marie Pauline lived 90 years, Mare Leonie lived 78 years, Marie Celine lived 90 years, and Marie Francoise-Therese lived only 24 years, and became the popular saint Therese of Lisieux. Their parents, however, were not lucky enough to enjoy the company of their daughters. Their mother Zelie died of breast cancer in 1877, aged 45, and their father Louis died in 1894, aged 70.  They raised their daughters with deep spirituality and love. Louis had built a little chapel where he used to spend time in prayer. He loved nature and traveled to many holy places, like Rome, Lourdes, Costantinople. He even gave affectionate nicknames to his girls. One he called diamond, another one pearl, another one the brave, yet another Guardian Angel, and young Therese he called little queenie, reginetta. Louis and Zelie used to write beautiful letters to each other and were published in a book. Although the letters from Louis were only 16, the ones from Zelie were 216, and they show the deeply spiritual life they used to live together. They were canonized by Pope Francis in October 2015.