Quick Facts

St. Therese of Lisieux and the Doctors of the Church

Therese of Lisieux - 33rd Doctor of the Church

• Popularly known as the Little Flower, Therese of Lisieux was canonized in 1925. She became the 33rd Doctor to receive the title when declared by Pope John Paul II on October 19, 1997.
• St. Therese is the third woman to be named Doctor of the Church, following St. Catherine of Siena and St. Teresa of Avila.
• On average, the previous 32 Doctors of the Church lived to be 64 years old, the youngest having been St. Catherine of Siena, age 33.
• St. Therese died at the age of 24, becoming the youngest Doctor of the Church.
• "Story of a Soul" is the book that made Therese known throughout the world. Two thousand copies were originally printed in 1898.
• "Story of a Soul" has become a world wide bestseller, and has been translated into more than sixty languages and dialects.
• Besides her autobiography, St. Therese wrote two volumes of letters, some poems, prayers and eight plays.

Requirements of Becoming a Doctor of the Church

• Outstanding holiness and sanctity
• Eminent learning and writings
• Proclamation by the Pope
• Canonized saint

Doctors of the Church

1-4: Saints Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, Gregory the Great: Boniface VIII, September 20, 1295.

5: Saint Thomas Aquinas: Saint Pius V, April 11, 1567.

6-9: Saints Athanasius, Basil, Gregory of Nazianzus, Saint John Chrysostom: Saint Pius V, 1568.

10: Saint Bonaventure: Sixtus V, March 14, 1588.

11: Saint Anselm of Canterbury: Clement XI, February 3, 1720.

12: Saint Isidore of Seville: Innocent XIII, April 25, 1722.

13: Saint Peter Chrysologus: Benedict XIII, February 10, 1729.

14: Saint Leo the Great: Benedict XIV, October 15, 1754.

15: Saint Peter Damian: Leo XII, September 27, 1828.

16: Saint Bernard of Clairvaux: Pius VIII, August 20, 1830.

17: Saint Hilaire of Poitiers: Pius IX, May 13, 1851.

18: Saint Alphonsus Liguori: Pius IX, July 7, 1871.

19: Saint Francis of Sales: Pius IX, November 16, 1871.

20-21: Saints Cyril of Alexandria and Cyril of Jerusalem: Leo XIII, July 28, 1882.

22: Saint John Damascene: Leo XIII, August 19, 1890.

23: Saint Bede the Venerable: Leo XIII, November 13, 1899.

24: Saint Ephrem of Syria: Benedict XV, October 5, 1920.

25: Saint Peter Canisius: Pius XI, May 21, 1925.

26: Saint John of the Cross: Pius XI, August 24, 1926.

27: Saint Robert Bellarmine: Pius XI, September 17, 1931.

28: Saint Albert the Great: Pius XI, December 16, 1931.

29: Saint Anthony of Padua: Pius XII, January 16, 1946.

30: Saint Laurence of Brindisi: John XXIII, March 19, 1959.

31: Saint Theresa of Avila: Paul VI, September 27, 1970.

32: Saint Catherine of Siena: Paul VI, October 4, 1970.

33: Saint Therese of Lisieux: John Paul II, October 19, 1997.