London, England, Oct 13, 2009 / 19:19 pm
As many as 100,000 pilgrims are expected to visit Westminster Cathedral to view and venerate the relics of St. Therese of Lisieux during their month-long tour of England and Wales.
Agence France Presse reports that the cathedral has ordered 100,000 candles and 50,000 pink roses to meet the demand. The cathedral expects 2,000 pilgrims every hour until Thursday.
St. Therese became a Carmelite nun at the age of 15 and died in 1897 at the age of 24. Known as the “Little Flower of Jesus,” her autobiography “The Story of a Soul” attracted worldwide attention. She was canonized in 1925.
The saint’s relics, portions of her thigh and foot bones, are contained in a heavy jacaranda wood casket and are transported in a specially designed hearse. They arrived via the Eurotunnel on September 15 and have visited cathedrals, convents and the Wormwood Scrubs prison in London.