Sts. Louis & Zélie Martin
Patrons of Marriage & Family Life
Feast Day July 12
The Parents of St. Thérèse
Sts. Louis & Zélie Martin were married on July 13, 1858 in Alençon, France. They were the parents of nine children. Four of them died as infants or small children. All five of their daughters that survived to adulthood entered the religious life, including our patroness, St. Thérèse the Little Flower.
They lived the ordinary life of a married couple in simple but extraordinary ways. They were canonized in 2015 by Pope Francis and are patrons for married couples and for those who have lost children.
Sts. Louis & Zélie, pray for us!
Learn More
The Sts. Louis & Zélie Room at Little Flower Basilica
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of their canonization and the 100th anniversary of the canonization of their daughter (St. Thérèse), Little Flower Basilica invites pilgrims to visit the Sts. Louis & Zélie Room, opening Friday, October 31, 2025.
The Sts. Louis & Zélie Room includes:
Exhibit on the life of the two saints and their family
Prayer Space, including opportunities to venerate first class relics
Resources for marriage and family life
Submit photos to our prayer walls:
Submit your wedding photo to our prayer wall:
Submit a wedding photo from your wedding or that of your loved ones (living or deceased) to be hung on the prayer wall in the Sts. Louis & Zélie Room at Little Flower Basilica in San Antonio, Texas. This room will open beginning on October 31, during the Centenary Relics Visit. The photo should include both the husband and wife. You and your spouse will be remembered in prayer. Please pray for all married people!
Note: Depending on the number of submissions, not all photos may be printed and hung on the prayer wall. However, all couples submitted (regardless of whether the photo is printed or not) will be remembered in our prayers.
Praying with families who have lost children:
Sts. Louis & Zélie suffered the loss of four of their children. Today, they are often invoked as intercessors for those parents who have lost children, whether it’s through miscarriage, a stillbirth, or their child passes away as an infant, young child, or teenager. Parents are invited to share photos of children they have lost to add to our prayer wall. This can be photos of the child, copies of an ultrasound, or something similar. If you don’t have a photo or wish not to provide one, you can also simply fill out the form below and we will add them to the wall. Please know that you are in our prayers.
Questions? Suggestions? Want to get involved?
Contact Br. Vladimir Guadalupe of Sts. Louis & Zélie, OCD
Upcoming Events
Marriage Preparation Retreats
As examples and patrons of the vocation of marriage, Sts. Louis & Zélie are particularly tied to the retreats offered at Little Flower Basilica for those in preparation for marriage. See our schedule of retreats below: