The Discalced Carmelite Order of Brazil celebrated the feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus with great solemnity in the various communities of the two Brazilian Provinces. This year, which marks the 150th anniversary of Thérèse Martin’s birth, has been enriched by a magnificent gift. The church of Saint Therese in Porto Alegre has been elevated to the rank of archdiocesan sanctuary.
The church is in fact a point of reference for the whole city, considering the influx of faithful who attend masses and seek confession and spiritual accompaniment. The sons of St. Teresa of Avila arrived in Porto Alegre from Spain in 1913 and built a neo-Gothic church there. Today, it is considered a landmark in terms of architectural beauty in the city.
On October the 1st, the faithful flocked to the church to give witness to their love for Therese and the apostolic work carried out by our religious over the years. The community of Carmelite Friars has accepted this elevation to the rank of Archdiocesan Shrine as a challenge stimulating their work of evangelization of these lands. The celebrations included a Congress on St. Therese of Lisieux at the St. John of the Cross Spiritual Centre. The event was attended by the Secular Order of Carmel, the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and parishioners from the various parishes of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Province.
