Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (1873–1897), known as "The Little Flower," was a French Carmelite nun whose autobiography Story of a Soul made her one of the most beloved saints of the modern era. She died of tuberculosis at the age of 24, having never left her convent or performed any remarkable external deeds — yet Pope Pius X called her "the greatest saint of modern times."
Her "Little Way" — performing ordinary actions with extraordinary love and trust in God — made holiness accessible to everyone. She wrote: "Love proves itself by deeds, so how am I to show my love? Great deeds are forbidden me. The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love."
She was canonized in 1925, just 28 years after her death. In 1997, Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church — making her the third woman (after Teresa of Ávila and Catherine of Siena) to receive this distinction.
