Historic remains of a French saint will travel to Roman Catholic churches across the north and north-east this year.
The relics of Saint Therese of Lisieux will be displayed at St Mary’s Cathedral in Aberdeen, Moray’s Pluscarden Abbey and then St Mary’s in Inverness in September for veneration by the faithful.
Saint Therese was born in 1873 and became a nun in the Discalced Carmelites order aged just 15, where she lived an austere life and gained famed for her ‘little way’ of honouring God through simple acts.
Following a battle with tuberculosis she died aged just 24, but left behind many of her writings which became influential after her death.
She was beatified as a saint by Pope Pius XI, only 28 years after her death, and has since become one of the church’s most popular saints.
So respected is she that the Basilica of Lisieux, built in her honour, is the second most popular place for pilgrimages in France after Lourdes.
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Part of her mortal remains are now held in an enormous, ornate reliquary- nearly five feet long and weighing more than 20 stone- which will be displayed across the north and north-east.
The tour has been coordinated by the St Andrews Community, based at St Mary’s Cathedral.
A spokeswoman said: “Relics are physical objects that have a direct association with the saints or with Our Lord.
“Saint Therese is a model of holiness for us because she was Christ-like. She teaches us that ‘holiness consists simply in doing God’s will and being just what God wants us to be’.”
The relics of St. Therese will be in Aberdeen diocese from September 9-11 – arriving at St. Mary’s Cathedral on the evening of September 9 and from there will go to Pluscarden Abbey, Elgin and St. Mary’s, Inverness on September 11.
There will be an opportunity to venerate her relics throughout the day and night.
Aberdeen’s depute Lord Provost Jennifer Stewart, herself a committed Catholic, said the tour was “wonderful news”.
She said: “I’m sure this visit will attract a lot of attention not just from the Christian community but also for other people as well.
“It will give people the chance to reflect and feel a strong, tangible connection to their faith.”
