Which saint is known as the 'Little Flower'?

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux is known as the “Little Flower.” The title reflects her image of herself as a small flower in God’s garden and her teaching that ordinary acts of love can lead to holiness.

Born Marie-Françoise-Thérèse Martin in Alençon, France, in 1873, she entered the Discalced Carmelite convent at Lisieux at age 15. She spent the rest of her short life there, dying of tuberculosis in 1897 at age 24. Her spiritual approach became known as the “little way,” emphasizing trust, humility, and small sacrifices rather than spectacular religious achievements.

Thérèse’s autobiography, Story of a Soul, helped spread her ideas after her death. Roses became her best-known symbol because she used flowers as metaphors for loving actions and was associated with the promise of sending a “shower of roses” from heaven.

She was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925 and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II in 1997. She is sometimes confused with Saint Teresa of Ávila, another Carmelite Doctor of the Church, but “the Little Flower” specifically refers to Thérèse of Lisieux.