Les Buissonnets, Home of St. Therese, Lisieux, France

The first place we visited in Lisieux was the childhood home of St. Therese. Therese Martin was born in Alencon, France, on January 2, 1873. Her mother died four years later. Mr. Martin moved her and his other four daughters to Lisieux to be nearer their uncle, Isidore Guerin, a Lisieux pharmacist. They moved into an 18th century house called Les Buissonnets.

Les Buissonnets, childhood home of St. Therese of Lisieux

The first room in the house is the kitchen with a fireplace that served both to cook meals and to heat the house.

Kitchen

The family dining room is visible through a window. Therese had her last meal here on April 8, 1888, before she entered Carmel.

Family dining room

Upstairs is a large bedroom that the older sisters shared.

Large bedroom

Therese was the youngest and shared another room with her sister Celine. Further on is a display of Therese's childhood things, including toys and her First Communion dress.

Therese's stuff

First communion dress

Her desk

In the back garden is a statue of Therese and her father. On Pentecost, 1887, Therese asked her father's permission to enter Carmel. He consented and gave her a little white flower which she identified with her life.

Back of the house

Lighting wasn't very good for me

By one of the sheds is a reconstruction of a creche (nativity scene) made by Therese when she was young.

Creche

The front garden is also nice and filled with flowers, even on the April day we visited.

Front garden

Flowers from the Little Flower's home

A tacky gift shop sits just outside the house but we did not visit it.

St. Peter's Cathedral, Lisieux, France

St. Peter's Cathedral in Lisieux was built in the late 1100s. During the French Revolution it was used for secular purposes. After Napoleon's Concordat of 1801 it returned to religious use but was no longer the seat of a bishop. It still played a central role in the life of the town and was used by St. Therese of Lisieux for ten years before she became a Carmelite.

St. Peter's Cathedral

Detail on the door

The nave has the classic openness and brightness found in medieval cathedrals.

Nave

Inside is a replica of the statue of St. Peter found in St. Peter's in Rome.

St. Peter

Many of the furnishings are related to St. Therese. The high altar was donated by Therese's father in 1888.

High altar

Altar detail

Angel flanking the altar

The other angel statue

Behind the high altar is the chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was built in the 15th century by Bishop Pierre Cauchon who was also a judge at Joan of Arc's trial. He is buried in the chapel. Therese attended daily Mass here and here she prayed for the repentance of criminal Pranzini in 1887.

Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Bas relief

More bas relief

Reliquary

One side chapel has a statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Here Therese's sister Pauline prayed and entrusted her vocation to Mary.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

The cathedral also has many photographs of Therese on display.

Therese as Joan of Arc in a play

Nearby statue of Joan of Arc

I thought this was a little tacky

The church also has an altar to St. Joseph!

St. Joseph altar (depicting his happy death)

Lisieux, France

During our visit to Normandy we went to the town of Lisieux. Our first stop was St. Therese's childhood home which will get its own post on Monday, i.e. two days from when this posts. From there we walked to the local cathedral in Lisieux (which will get its own post on Sunday, i.e. tomorrow!). Along the way we saw some interesting things, most importantly a local playground.

Right outside her house is a statue of Therese with many memorials to her. They seemed to be thank-yous for intercessions in personal problems.

Therese statue

On the way to the cathedral is the Jardin de l'eveche, or Garden of the Bishop, if Google Translate is to be trusted. Presumably the fancy building at the end of the garden is the bishop's palace.

Bishop's palace?

The gardens

The truly interesting part of the park is the extensive playground, of which J and L made full use.

First part of the playground

J did a lot of climbing and jumping down.

Web climbing like Spider-man

Hanging tight

Going up

Going down

Dismounting the moose

L was a little more cautious and only climbed up and down.

The further part of the playground

L climbs up

L hangs out (and hangs low)

Just beyond the bishop's garden is the cathedral which will be our Sunday church tomorrow!