A century after her canonization, the gentle voice of St. Thérèse of Lisieux continues to echo across the world, inviting hearts to rediscover the power of trust, humility, and love in everyday life. In 2025, the Church marks the Jubilee Year of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face — affectionately known as the Little Flower — reminding the faithful that sanctity can blossom not in grandeur but in the smallest acts done with great love.

Declared a saint in 1925 by Pope Pius XI and later recognized as a Doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II, Thérèse remains one of Catholicism’s most cherished spiritual voices. Her “Little Way,” built on unwavering trust in God’s mercy and the quiet beauty of daily sacrifice, continues to guide souls on their journey toward divine love.

This centennial celebration began on January 4 and continues through the Christmas season. The highlight is a grand weekend celebration in Lisieux, France, from May 16–18. Themed “Joy in Holiness,” the events mirror Pope Francis’ call for the 2025 Jubilee Year, “Pilgrims of Hope,” showcasing how Thérèse’s life is a shining model of interior joy amid struggle.

Lisieux has come alive with devotion: pilgrims follow candlelit processions of her relics, join in choral Masses, engage in artistic tributes like mosaic-making, and watch screenings of films about her life. A special musical concert by Canadian singer Natasha St-Pier, who has set Thérèse’s poems to music, captures the saint’s mystical depth for a new generation.

The final day of the event, May 18, includes a powerful symbolic connection to the Church today, as Pope Leo XIV’s papal inauguration is streamed live to the basilica. Later, a special commemoration of the miracles attributed to Thérèse’s intercession serves as a reminder of her enduring presence and care for those on earth.

What makes Thérèse's legacy so enduring is her spiritual genius expressed through childlike trust rather than grand gestures. In a world drowning in noise and competition, her message feels revolutionary: it’s not what we do, but how we love, that defines holiness. As Pope Francis affirmed in his recent exhortation, “It is confidence and nothing but confidence that must lead us to love.”

Thérèse knew darkness, too. Her final years were marked by physical suffering and a profound spiritual trial she called her “night of faith.” And yet, she clung to God in silence and uncertainty, showing that holiness isn’t the absence of struggle, but faithfulness through it. Her experience resonates deeply with today’s seekers — those who yearn for faith amid doubt, light amid shadow.

St. Thérèse’s Jubilee is not confined to France. Across the globe, her influence is being celebrated: in the U.S., her relics are making a cross-country pilgrimage; in Ireland, Knock Shrine will host a day of veneration; and in the UK, churches bearing her name are planning liturgies and community events.

Through all this, Thérèse remains a spiritual sister to millions — a soul who found heaven in ordinary things and promised to “spend my heaven doing good on earth.” One hundred years later, that promise still holds, gently leading hearts to God through the Little Way.