The relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux, a French Catholic Carmelite nun who died more than a century ago, have arrived in London for the final part of a tour of England and Wales.The casket containing her remains arrived in Portsmouth last month and has been taken to Catholic cathedrals, convents, the Anglican York minster and Wormwood Scrubs prison over the past four weeks.
Thousands of pilgrims are expected to see the relics at Westminster cathedral over the next four days, where they will be displayed until leaving London on Thursday.
The relics of St Thérèse, known as The Little Flower of Jesus, have been touring the world for 12 years, visiting 40 countries including Cameroon, Ireland and Guyana. The golden casket which contains part of her thigh and foot travels encased in protective glass and is expected to be seen by up to 100,000 people during its stay at the cathedral.
St Thérèse was born in France in 1871 and died of tuberculosis in 1897. She became revered after her autobiography, Story of a Soul, was published posthumously. The memoirs detailed her "little way" – her notion that what matters in life is "not great deeds, but great love".
She was canonised in 1925 by Pope Pius XI and is the patron saint of people with Aids, aviators, florists, missionaries and the sick.
St Thérèse famously said she would "let fall a shower of roses on earth" after death, and Westminster cathedral said 100,000 candles and 50,000 pink roses had been ordered, with 2,000 pilgrims expected to venerate the relics every hour.
The remains will be blessed on the steps of Westminster cathedral by Bishop John Arnold this evening before being made available for the public to visit from tomorrow morning.
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