Prayer to St. Louis and St. Zélie Martin
St. Louis Martin and St. Zélie Martin were the married parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Pope Francis canonized them together on 18 October 2015 in St. Peter's Square, and the Catholic Church celebrates their feast day on 12 July. The sources reviewed name no formal patronage for them and present them as a model for married couples and parents. Catholics ask their intercession for marriage, parenting, and family hardship.
Louis was a watchmaker and Zélie was a lacemaker. They first met in Alençon on the Saint-Léonard bridge and married a few months later on 13 July 1858 at Notre-Dame in Alençon, France. They had nine children, and five daughters survived childhood. All five daughters became nuns: four entered the Carmelites, including Thérèse, and one became a Visitandine.
At their canonization Mass, Pope Francis called them "the holy spouses." He said they practiced Christian service in the family and created an environment of faith and love that nurtured the vocations of their daughters. At Find A Prayer, we write original prayers to give families steady words for prayer in times of domestic joy, quiet duty, and sudden grief. Catholics ask Louis and Zélie Martin to pray to God for them, reserving worship for God alone. The facts about their lives come from public accounts.
Pray the first prayer or the short prayer together with your spouse or your children today.
Prayer to St. Louis and St. Zélie Martin
Heavenly Father, You gave St. Louis and St. Zélie Martin the grace to live as "the holy spouses," practicing Christian service in the family. We ask that their prayers may support married couples and parents across the world today. Look with favor on our household, and grant us patience, charity, and humility in our home. May their intercession help husbands and wives cherish one another, care for their households, and guide their families toward eternal life with You. We offer our petition through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer for Married Couples
Lord God Almighty, You established marriage as an enduring bond of fidelity and mutual support. Through the intercession of St. Louis and St. Zélie Martin, strengthen our marriage against discord, fatigue, and indifference. Give us the gentleness to bear one another's burdens and the grace to forgive quickly when disagreements arise. Just as Louis and Zélie raised five daughters who survived childhood in a home of faith and love, help us to keep Christ at the center of our union each day. Renew our commitment to one another, deepen our love, and guard our home in Your peace. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer for Parents Raising Children in the Faith
Lord Jesus Christ, You welcomed little children and commanded us to guide them toward Your kingdom. We ask the prayers of St. Louis and St. Zélie Martin as we teach and nurture our sons and daughters. In their home, these holy parents created an environment of faith and love that nurtured the vocations of their daughters. Give us wisdom to instruct our children with clarity and patience. Guard them from harmful influences, strengthen their moral resolve, and grant us grace to lead them by our own quiet example of Christian service and prayer. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer for Families Carrying Loss or a Heavy Cross
Compassionate God, You are near to the brokenhearted and close to all who weep. St. Louis and St. Zélie Martin had nine children and five daughters survived childhood. Through their intercession before Your heavenly throne, comfort every household carrying bereavement, disappointment, or heavy trials today. Keep our faith firm when our hearts are sorrowful. Help us to trust Your providence even when life brings painful separations, and draw our family closer together in hope of the resurrection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Short Prayer to Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin
Almighty Father, You showed us in St. Louis and St. Zélie Martin that family life can become a true path to Christian holiness. Through the prayers of these devoted spouses, pour out Your blessing upon our home and strengthen our daily labor. Help us to practice generous service within our family, to love one another with sincere hearts, and to keep our eyes fixed on heaven through every season of life. May their example inspire our steps and their intercession sustain our spirits before Your throne. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture to pray
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: if either of them falls down, one can help the other up.— Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.— Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.— Psalm 34:18 (ESV)
Frequently asked questions
What is St. Louis Martin the patron saint of?
The sources reviewed name no formal patronage for St. Louis Martin. The sources reviewed present him together with his wife as a model of holiness in marriage and family life. People who type this name sometimes find the hockey player Martin St. Louis instead, but the saint here is Louis Martin, the husband of Zélie Martin. Catholics seek their intercession for marriage, parenting, and family hardship.
How many children did Saint Louis and Zélie Martin have?
Saint Louis and Zélie Martin had nine children together during their marriage. Five daughters survived childhood. The five daughters who survived childhood all entered religious life: four joined the Carmelite convent, including St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and one daughter became a Visitandine sister.
What did St. Louis Martin do for a living?
St. Louis Martin was a watchmaker by trade, while his wife Zélie was a lacemaker.
Did all of St. Therese's sisters become nuns?
Yes, all of St. Thérèse's sisters who survived childhood became nuns. Louis and Zélie Martin had nine children in total, but five daughters survived childhood. Four of those daughters became Carmelites, including Thérèse herself. The fifth surviving daughter became a Visitandine. Pope Francis noted at the canonization Mass that Louis and Zélie created an environment of faith and love within their household that nurtured the spiritual vocations of their daughters.
How did Zelie and Louis Martin meet?
Zélie and Louis Martin met in Alençon, France, on the Saint-Léonard bridge. The sources reviewed do not state the year or exact date of that first meeting. They married a few months later, on 13 July 1858, at Notre-Dame in Alençon. Louis was a watchmaker, and Zélie was a lacemaker.
When is the feast day of Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin?
The feast day of Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin is 12 July. The Catholic Church celebrates their memory on this date. A parish, diocese, or shrine may publish its own prayer, patronage, or feast date for the couple.
Were Louis and Zélie Martin canonized together?
Yes, Pope Francis canonized Louis and Zélie Martin together at the same Mass on 18 October 2015 in St. Peter's Square. In his canonization homily, Pope Francis referred to them as "the holy spouses" and praised their Christian service in the family.
What does it mean to ask Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin to pray for us?
Asking Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin to pray for us means asking for their intercession before God, rather than praying to them as if they held divine power. In Catholic theology, believers worship God alone. Catholics ask Louis and Zélie Martin to pray for marriages, parents, and family hardship. If a local parish, diocese, or shrine publishes specific prayers or customs for them, believers may incorporate those texts into their family devotions.
How do I pray to Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin?
You pray to Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin by turning to them and asking them to intercede before God for your family. This is our own suggestion and not a rule of the Church. Make the Sign of the Cross, read a prayer slowly and aloud, and name one intention for your marriage or children. Close with an Our Father. Couples can pray it together, and parents can pray it with their children. In Catholic teaching, Catholics worship God alone.
Is there a novena to Louis and Zélie Martin?
Yes, there is a Novena to Sts. Zélie and Louis Martin, which consists of nine consecutive days of prayer. Catholics pray this novena for marriage and for raising children in faith. This site has a nine-day novena for their daughter St. Thérèse of Lisieux and a general guide to praying any novena.