Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (1873–1897), also known as Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, was a French Carmelite nun whose spirituality of the "little way" of trust and love has inspired millions. Born Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin on January 2, 1873, in Alençon, France, she entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux at the age of 15. Despite her short life, marked by illness and suffering, Thérèse lived with an extraordinary trust in God and a desire to be love at the heart of the Church.

Her autobiography, Story of a Soul, written at the request of her prioress, became a spiritual classic. Thérèse emphasized that holiness is attainable by anyone through small acts of love and surrender to God's will, earning her the title "The Little Flower." She died of tuberculosis on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24.

Thérèse was canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 17, 1925, and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II on October 19, 1997. Her feast day is celebrated on October 1. Pope Pius XI called her "the greatest saint of modern times," underscoring the universality and simplicity of her message.