MEMORIAL: JULY 12
Louis Martin was born in Bordeaux, France in the 19th century. He met his wife Zelie in Alençon, and they were soon married. Both had originally been interested in the religious life, but they were both rejected. They came together in a loving marriage. After 10 months of living celibate together, they decided to have 9 children (5 that survived – all girls). They consecrated their children to God. Louis worked as a watchmaker, and Zelie was a lacemaker. Her business became so successful that Louis eventually sold his watchmaking business to become her lacemaking partner. Despite her successful business, Zelie’s greatest love was her children. Louis also played an active role in his daughters’ education. After 19 years of marriage, Zelie died of breast cancer at the age of 45. After her death, Louis sold the lace business, took the girls, and moved to Lisieux to be near his in-laws. He would die 17 years later at the age of 71. All five of the Martin girls became nuns. One is a candidate for canonized sainthood (Marie Leonie) and another is a wildly popular canonized saint (Therese of Lisieux). In 2015, Louis and Zelie became the first married couple to be canonized together.
