Saint Louis Martin and Saint Zélie Martin were a devout Catholic couple from 19th‑century France. They are known as the first spouses in Church history to be canonized together as a married couple.
Both Saint Louis and Saint Zélie had a deep love for God and a strong commitment to their faith, which they imparted to their nine children. They were known for their exemplary Christian virtues and their dedication to their family.
Despite facing personal hardships, their unwavering faith and trust in God serve as an inspiration to families and couples worldwide
Here are 10 things to know about Saints Louis and Zelie Martin:
1) Louis was a watchmaker, and Zélie was a talented lacemaker, running a lace‑making business from home.
2) They both discerned religious life before they met. According to family testimony, when Zélie first saw Louis, she heard Our Lady’s voice interiorly say, “He is the one I have prepared for you.”
3) They married on July 12, 1858, in Alençon, France. Their wedding anniversary is also kept as their liturgical feast day in many places on July 12.
4) Zélie bore nine children, four of whom died very young in infancy or childhood. In the midst of their grief, she wrote in one of her letters, “…life is short and full of miseries, and we shall find our little ones again up above.”
5) They overcame many crosses on their path to sainthood. Louis faced emotional and health struggles, and Zélie endured the demands of being a working mother while managing the lace business and the household. Yet, together, they prioritized family and faith while raising their children.
6) The couple attended daily Mass whenever possible and faithfully received Holy Communion, especially on First Fridays, nurturing a deep devotion to the Sacred Heart.
7) Their five surviving daughters all became religious sisters. Their youngest, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, was later proclaimed a Doctor of the Church, and their third daughter, Léonie Martin, is a Servant of God whose cause for canonization is underway.
8) Zélie died of breast cancer at the age of 45, leaving Louis a widower with their five daughters. He then dedicated himself to raising them and teaching them the faith by his holy example, even amid his own serious illness and trials.
9) The Martins were canonized together by Pope Francis on Oct. 18, 2015, in St. Peter’s Square, becoming the first married couple in history to be canonized together as spouses.
10) Through their intercession, God continues to bless families today. Two miracles involving gravely ill children were officially recognized for their beatification and canonization, and many couples and parents now turn to Saints Louis and Zélie as powerful patrons of marriage, parenting, and family life.
Prayer for Spouses to Louis and Zelie Martin:
Saints Louis and Zelie Martin,
today we ask you to intercede for us.
You are the first canonized married couple,
and we look to you as a holy example
and model for our own marriages.
We ask you to bless all marriages.
Help us to live out our married life with joy and virtue
and for those of us who have children,
please help us to be virtuous parents.
You have modeled for us an exemplary Christian life;
may the example of your unwavering trust in God
and your constant willingness to surrender
all the joys, the trials, the sorrows
and the sufferings that filled your life.
Encourage us to persevere in our daily challenges
and to remain in joy and Christian hope.
Prayer Source: Marriages of Grace