By MIKE HOUSEHOLDER
ROYAL OAK, Mich. (AP) — The sacred bones of a much-loved French Carmelite nun began a tour of the U.S. on Wednesday at a suburban Detroit parish named in her honor.
Nicole Scheier was among those who arrived hours ahead of the first opportunity to catch a glimpse of the relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux.
“St. Thérèse is a saint for everybody. She is relatable. She teaches that sainthood is attainable, doing small things with great love,” Scheier said after pausing before a statue of St. Thérèse outside the National Shrine of The Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak, Michigan.
A reliquary containing some of St. Thérèse’s remains will be on display through Oct. 8, before moving on to California. Other stops on the tour, which runs into December, are Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Texas, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Haifa Gabbara also arrived at the basilica well in advance.
“St. Thérèse means a lot to me and to my family,” the West Bloomfield Township resident said. “So, I was determined to be here, although early.”
The National Shrine was founded in 1926, as one of the nation’s first parishes dedicated to the memory of the saint born Thérèse Martin and who died of tuberculosis in 1897 at age 24.
Nicknamed “The Little Flower of Jesus,” St. Thérèse became known worldwide for her autobiography, “Story of a Soul,” that described her devotion to God. She was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925. Mother Teresa took her name and said she was inspired to serve the poor in India.
St. Thérèse’s relics also came from France to the U.S. in 1999. Tens of thousands visited Royal Oak that year during a one-day stay. Now, a quarter-century later, they are back on The Little Flower’s feast day.
“It feels like Christmas morning that a wonderful gift from God is coming here to be with us,” said the Rev. John Bettin, rector of the National Shrine of The Little Flower Basilica.
In the Catholic tradition, a relic is an object, notably part of the body or clothes, that serves as a memorial of a departed saint. It is an ancient tradition within the church to venerate, or honor, the relics of holy people.
Those who wish to venerate the relics are to slowly make their way inside the basilica, where they will find the reliquary positioned in a central area. They are permitted to touch the reliquary with medals, rosaries and prayer cards, but they may not lean on nor kiss the glass.
“We do have to protect the reliquary and the relics,” Bettin said.
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