The relics of Saints Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, will arrive in the Philippines on January 1 and tour around the country until February 28.
The welcome Mass for them will be on January 2 at 12 noon at the Shrine of Saint Thérèse in Villamor, Pasay City. It will be presided by Most Rev. Leopoldo Tumulak, DD. Veneration of the relics will follow after the Mass. January 2 is also the 144th birthday of Saint Thérèse, also known as The Little Flower of Jesus.
The Martin couple were canonized on October 18, 2015. They were the first-ever spouses to be proposed for canonization as a couple and the first to be canonized together. It should be noted that besides having a daughter as a saint in Saint Thérèse, the Martin couple-saints have four other daughters who are nuns. Saint Thérèse and three of her sister nuns are Carmelites.
The other daughter, Léonie Martin, who entered the Monastery of the Visitation at Caen, is also a candidate for sainthood.
Below is the schedule of itinerary of the relics of Saints Louis and Zélie.