The relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, one of the Catholic Church’s most beloved modern saints, will visit the Washington, D.C., region Nov. 19 through 30 as part of the national “Relics of Love and Trust Tour 2025.”
The tour of the relics offers the faithful an opportunity to pray before the remains of the Carmelite nun whose “little way” of trust and love has inspired generations.
Born in 1873 in Alençon, France, Thérèse Martin entered the Carmel of Lisieux at age 15 and died of tuberculosis at 24. Her autobiography, Story of a Soul, describes her path to holiness through small acts of love and confidence in God’s mercy. She was canonized in 1925 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1997. Her parents, Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, were canonized in 2015. She is now a patron of missionaries and one of the most widely loved saints of the modern era.
Schedule highlights are as follows
Wednesday, Nov. 19
Theological College at Catholic University, 401 Michigan Ave., N.E., Washington, D.C.
2 pm. – Welcoming of the relics. People can pray with the relics of St. Thérèse until 6 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 20
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 400 Michigan Ave., N.E., Washington.
9 a.m. – Welcome, reception of relics with Msgr. Walter R. Rossi, the basilica’s rector, and lauds will be prayed
9:30 a.m. – Public veneration
11 a.m. – Fervorino talk
11:30 a.m. – Rosary
12:10 p.m. – Opening Mass with Cardinal Wilton Gregory, archbishop emeritus of Washington, who will be the main celebrant and homilist, with blessing of roses at the end of Mass.
1:30 p.m. – Public veneration
3 p.m. – Chaplet of Divine Mercy
6 p.m. – National Shrine closes (Veneration until 6 p.m. closing. Further details at nationalshrine.org)
Friday, Nov. 21
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. (The basilica opens at 6 a.m.).
9 a.m. – Public veneration
11 a.m. – Fervorino talk
11:30 a.m. – Rosary
12:10 p.m. – Mass with Cardinal Sean O’Malley OFM Cap, archbishop emeritus of Boston, who will be the main celebrant and homilist, with blessing of roses at the end of Mass
1:30 p.m. – Public veneration
3 p.m. – Chaplet of Divine Mercy
6 p.m. – National Shrine closes (Veneration until 6 p.m. Further details at nationalshrine.org)
Saturday, Nov. 22
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
6 a.m. – National Shrine opens for continued veneration until closing Mass
9 a.m. – Public veneration, Confessions (until 12 p.m.) in Upper Church side chapels
11 a.m. – Fervorino talk
11:30 a.m. – Rosary
12:10 p.m. – Mass with Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, who will be the main celebrant and homilist, with blessing of Roses at the end of Mass.
Relics depart immediately following Mass.
After the Mass, there will be a farewell ceremony and departure for:
Carmel of Port Tobacco, 5678 Mount Carmel Road, La Plata, Maryland
Sunday, Nov. 23
Carmel of Port Tobacco
7:30 a.m. – Public veneration of relics begins
7:30 a.m. – Morning prayer
8 a.m. – Mass
4:30 p.m. – Evening prayer and Office of Readings
6:30 p.m. – Compline
8 p.m. – Chapel doors closed. Veneration ends by 8:30 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 24
Carmel of Port Tobacco
6:30 a.m – Public veneration begins
6:50 a.m. – Morning Prayer
7:15 a.m. – Mass
4 p.m. – Evening Prayer and Office of Readings
6:30 p.m. – Compline
8 p.m. – Chapel doors closed. Veneration ends by 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 25
Carmel of Port Tobacco
6:30 a.m. – Veneration of relics
6:50 a.m. – Morning Prayer
7:15 a.m. – Mass. After Mass, the relics depart for:
Carmel of Baltimore, 1318 Dulaney Valley Road, Towson, Maryland
For hours of veneration, check the website: BaltimoreCarmel.org
Wednesday, Nov. 26
Carmel of Baltimore
For hours of veneration, check the website: BaltimoreCarmel.org
3 p.m. departure for:
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, 130 Keating Drive, Winchester, Virginia
6 p.m. – Welcoming of the relics, followed by veneration throughout the night.
For further details, see website: https://sacredheartwinchester.org/
Thursday, Nov. 27 and Friday, Nov. 28
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, Winchester, Virginia
Veneration continues around the clock.
For further details, see website: https://sacredheartwinchester.org/
Saturday, Nov. 29
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, Winchester, Virginia
7 a.m. – Relics depart for:
Our Lady of Victory Parish, 4835 MacArthur Blvd., N.W., Washington, DC.
For details of veneration hours, see the website: https://olvparishdc.org/
Sunday, Nov. 30
Our Lady of Victory Parish, Washington
For details of veneration hours, see website: https://olvparishdc.org/
12 noon: The reliquary of St. Thérèse departs for the airport to fly to Miami
A full schedule of sites and times is available at stthereseusa2025.com.
St. Thérèse taught that holiness is found in ordinary life, in doing small things with great love. Her confidence in God’s mercy and her promise to “spend heaven doing good on earth” continue to draw pilgrims more than a century after her death.
