Worshippers queue to see saint's relics at St Andrew's Church

Oct 1 2009 by Dan Warburton, The Journal

THOUSANDS of worshippers made a pilgrimage to Tyneside to visit the relics of a 19th century French nun, known as “The Little Flower”.

A casket containing a collection of bones of St Thérèse of Lisieux went on display at St Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church, in Newcastle’s Worswick Street.

The relics arrived in the country earlier this month on a 28-date tour of cathedrals as part of a world tour of more than 40 countries.

More than 80,000 people have turned out to see them since their arrival in Portsmouth two weeks ago.

And yesterday more than 3,000 North East worshippers patiently waited to enter the little church and pay their respects.

The church was open for 20 hours as worshippers paid an overnight vigil to a young nun who they described as an “idol”.

St Thérèse was a French Carmelite nun who died of tuberculosis in 1897 aged 24. Because of her fondness for nature, she is known as “The Little Flower”.

Father Andrew Downie, chaplain at Newcastle and Northumbria University, said: “She was one of the most popular of the modern Saints.

“She died very young and people often look for a physical connection to their heroes. She lived a very short life and a limited life but she had a deep spirituality and a deep wisdom.

“She captured people’s imaginations and people identified with her because she suffered illness.

“It’s a bit of a surprise that so many people have come here but her story really touched the lives of people.”

The reliquary – containing bones of the Saint’s right leg, thigh and foot are held in a silver container inside a casket shaped like a temple – arrived at the church serenaded by applause and gentle hymns.