By Wesley Omondi
PORTO-NOVO, JANUARY 17, 2025 (CISA) – The Catholic Church in Benin has announced plans to welcome and venerate the relics of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face as part of the 2025 Jubilee Year celebrations. The relics, which have traveled to nearly 70 countries since 1994, will be in Benin from December 29, 2024, to February 24, 2025.
“The Catholic Church in Benin is excited to welcome back the relics of St. Theresa during this Jubilee Year,” the bishops said in a statement issued after their four-day Plenary Assembly on January 10.
The Episcopal Conference of Benin (CEB) emphasized that the veneration of relics is an opportunity for intense devotion and grace. They expressed hope that this spiritual activity would rekindle confidence in the intercessory power of St. Theresa, also known as St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Veneration of relics, a longstanding tradition in the Catholic Church, is not merely symbolic but serves as a conduit for believers to connect with God through the lives of saints. The Church leaders clarified that the practice must not be seen as superstition.
“Relics are not mere objects but manifestations of divine grace,” the bishops explained, urging the faithful to let the practice deepen their faith and inspire imitation of the saint’s virtues.
The 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, officially launched by Pope Francis on December 24, 2024, features a packed calendar of spiritual and commemorative events in Benin. Among these is the 80th anniversary of evangelization in the Catholic Archdiocese of Parakou and the 25th anniversary of the Catholic Diocese of N’Dali, slated for February 23, 2025.
“These milestones remind us of the journey of faith in our nation and the graces received along the way,” the prelates stated.
Additionally, the Dioceses of Dassa-Zoumè and Djougou will mark their 30th anniversaries on June 10, while a national pilgrimage is planned for July 29 to August 4. Benin’s Catholic Bishops called for active participation in these events, describing them as sources of abundant grace.
“We invite all faithful to engage wholeheartedly in these national and ecclesial celebrations,” they urged.
The week of January 18 to 25, dedicated to the Prayer for Christian Unity, will also be observed as part of the Jubilee. The bishops encouraged unity and collaboration among Christians and invited all Beninese to promote peace and solidarity. The bishops extended their fraternity to members of other churches and religions, highlighting the importance of unity in diversity.
St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, also known as St. Thérèse of Lisieux or the Little Flower, was a French Carmelite nun. She is the youngest of all the “Doctors of the Church” and one of the most venerated saints in modern times. She was born on January 2, 1873, in Alençon, France, and entered the Carmelite convent at Lisieux at the age of 15.
St. Thérèse is widely known for her “Little Way” of spirituality, which emphasized the importance of small, everyday acts of love and devotion as a path to holiness. She believed that even the most ordinary actions could be offered to God with great love, and she emphasized simplicity, humility, and childlike trust in God’s mercy.
She took the name “Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face” after her deep devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus, particularly focusing on the image of Christ’s face during His Passion. This devotion reflected her love for Christ’s humanity and His suffering, seeing in His face the fullness of God’s love for humanity.
Despite living a short life, Thérèse’s spiritual influence has been profound. She died of tuberculosis on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24. Her autobiography, “Story of a Soul,” has been an inspiration to countless people, and she was canonized as a saint by Pope Pius XI in 1925. St. Thérèse was also declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II in 1997, making her one of the few women to receive this honor.
