A second couple beatified

The Martin couple is the second couple to receive recognition as “blessed” in the history of the Catholic Church in modern times. The first couple were Luigi and Maria Beltrame (who lived in Italy in the 20th century), who were beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2001.

The Martin couple had nine children (four of which died as infants). Among them was a daughter who became one of the most beloved saints in modern times, Saint Therese of Lisieux, who described her experiences in a widely read book. Cardinal Saraiva Martins, who presided at the ceremony, said that the couple Martin gives us “an exemplary testimony of conjugal love”.

It can be pointed out that most of the saints in the Catholic Church are men and women who have consecrated themselves to God within monastic life or as priests, who are forbidden to marry.

Saint Therese of Lisieux