Tradition says that she boldly opened her remarks to Philip by saying, “Sire, you are thinking, ‘I see before me this gad-about woman,’” the description which had been given of her by the Papal Nuncio.
fn13 The Gregorian reform of the calendar came into force the next day, making the alteration of ten days in our reckoning, and this is the reason why her feast is celebrated on October 15th.
fn14 This description, in point of fact, was written by an eye-witness, Ribera, after a subsequent exposure of the body some twenty months later, but it is improbable that it had changed at all in appearance during the interval.
fn15 See Appendix, here.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux
1873–1897
fn1 It may be of interest to remark that the statue in question was a reproduction of a silver statue by Bouchardon, originally in the church of St. Sulpice, in Paris. The original disappeared during the Revolution.
fn2 For the benefit of Catholic readers, who may be puzzled at the belated date of Therese’s first communion, it should be explained that in the diocese of Bayeux, to which Lisieux belonged, it was ordained that every first communicant should have attained the age of eleven during his year of admission, but as Therese’s birthday fell on January 2nd she missed the privilege by two days. She herself was much distressed at this hindrance, and her sister Marie had some difficulty in stopping her from running after the Bishop of Bayeux when she caught sight of him in the street.
fn3 A literal translation will be found here.
fn4 Persons of any aesthetic susceptibilities, intending to visit Les Buissonnets, should take warning that the scene between Therese and her father has now been commemorated by a sculptural group executed in the purest white marble, and placed in the garden, representing them, slightly over life-size, sitting together on their bench.
fn5 The hour of rising was at 5 from Easter until September 14th, at 6 during the other months.
fn6 This rule is frequently allowed to lapse in these days.
fn7 It is not surprising that Casilda should have removed her clogs (chapines) in order to run more freely, for these were sometimes of such a height that even walking in them was difficult.
fn8 Jean d’Arc was canonised on May 16th, 1920, Therese on May 17th, 1925.
fn9 A literal translation will be found here.
fn10 This is doubtless responsible for the sobriquet of "The Little Flower,” by which St. Therese is frequently known in English, though, so far as I am aware, in no other language.
fn11 See Appendix, here.
The Eagle and the Dove Page 23
