About Little Flower Basilica

Today the history and treasures of the Shrine are integral to the propagation of the spirituality of St. Thérèse and the Carmelite charism.

The first National Shrine in the United States dedicated to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Basilica’s history begins at a time when our neighbors in Mexico were experiencing religious persecution and political upheaval during the 1913-30 revolutions. The resulting influx of immigrants was forming San Antonio’s first suburb. Among those immigrants were Discalced Carmelite friars who had escaped execution by Pancho Villa’s forces. At the same time, a revival of faith was spreading through the country.  The teachings of the newly-canonized Thérèse of Lisieux, a Discalced Carmelite nun known as “The Little Flower,” were inspiring millions worldwide. It was then that the vision was fulfilled to express the spirituality of the Little Flower through a National Shrine in her honor in the heart of a flourishing Westside.  

Built during the Great Depression, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower stands today as a monument to the great faith of devotees of St. Thérèse.  The Shrine’s notable size, beauty, architectural character, and spiritual significance led to its placement on the National Register of Historic Places and its elevation to the status of Minor Basilica in the Catholic Church, both in 1998.  

Little Flower Basilica serves Catholics in the San Antonio area as a traditional parish and people from across the nation and all walks of life as a historical and spiritual landmark. The community of Discalced Carmelite Friars continue to serve parishioners and anyone called to explore the beauty of Carmel.

Little Flower’s classical architecture echoes the designs of old world churches, with the Tomb Chapel of St. Thérèse inspired by the original Tomb Chapel in Lisieux. The Basilica’s treasury of art, craftsmanship, and relics includes first-class relics of St. Thérèse, her parents, St. Louis Martin and St. Zélie Guérin Martin, as well as several other Discalced Carmelite saints. 

Artisans have graced the Shrine with Carmelite stories told in glass, metal, wood, marble and oils. Shields of the Discalced Carmelite Order can be found all throughout the Shrine: One was etched into the cornerstone as the Shrine was begun and others carved into the limestone above the front and north entrances as the building progressed.  The intricate mosaics and stained glass windows depict the lives of St. Thérèse , St. Teresa of Jesus, and St. John of the Cross. The rose— the symbol of St. Thérèse — serves as a common theme and is found in the floor tile, the stone and wrought iron detailing, the cast brass light fixtures, and the leaded glass of the dome window.