Aleteia logoAleteia logoAleteia
Thursday 12 December |
Aleteia logo
Lifestyle
separateurCreated with Sketch.

St. Thérèse’s beautiful reflection on the Holy Face of Jesus

Holy Face of Jesus Lisieux Cathedral

Courtesy of Kathleen Hattrup

Cerith Gardiner - published on 10/01/24

In a side chapel of the cathedral in Lisieux, St. Thérèse's love for Jesus is celebrated.

Help Aleteia continue its mission by making a tax-deductible donation. In this way, Aleteia's future will be yours as well.

Donate with just 3 clicks

*Your donation is tax deductible!

In celebrating the feast of St. Thérèse de Lisieux, we honor not only the Carmelite nun, but everything she held dear. And if there is something that filled her heart with joy, it was Jesus Himself.

This is reflected in the choosing of her religious name: Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. Devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus led to her Uncle Isidore placing an image of the Holy Face of Jesus in a side chapel at the Cathedral in Lisieux, the hometown of the young saint.

The uncle also made sure that a lamp was placed next to the image, shining a light on Jesus. This is something his niece no doubt would have appreciated!

Holy Face of Jesus Lisieux Cathedral

Interestingly, next to the image is a sign that has a quote from the book St. Thérèse: Her Last Conversations in which she states:

Our Lord did well to lower his eyes when leaving us his portrait! Since the eyes are the mirror of the soul, if we had guessed his soul, we would have died of joy. Oh how much good this Holy Face has done me in my life.”

And perhaps it is this reflection that you should hold on to when celebrating the feast of this beloved saint.

Lisieux Cathedral

And just for further inspiration, a short prayer also accompanies the quote:

Lord, we entrust to you those who have suffered and whose face is disfigured by pain, scorn, and neglect.”

Tags:
Catholic LifestyleFaithPrayerTherese of Lisieux
Aleteia exists thanks to your donations

Help us to continue our mission of sharing Christian news and inspiring stories. Please make a donation today! Take advantage of the end of the year to get a tax deduction for 2024.

2025-Aleteia-Pilgrimage-300×250-1.png
Top 10
See More
Newsletter
Get Aleteia delivered to your inbox. Subscribe here.