The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower is a historic Roman Catholic church, located in San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...

. The church is distinguished as one of sixty-five in the United States (and one of only four in the state of Texas) bearing the papal designation of "minor basilica

Minor basilica

Minor basilica is a title given to some Roman Catholic churches. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom....

." Despite its religious importance it is not the cathedral of the local diocese; that distinction belongs to San Fernando Cathedral

Cathedral of San Fernando

The Cathedral of San Fernando is a cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church located in San Antonio, Texas, in the United States. It is the mother church of the Archdiocese of San Antonio and the seat of its archbishop. The cathedral is also known as the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria y...

.

History

Dedicated to Ste. Thérèse de Lisieux

Thérèse de Lisieux

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux , or Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, born Marie-Françoise-Thérèse Martin, was a French Carmelite nun...

 of the Child Jesus, and bearing her nickname, "The Little Flower" of Jesus, the cornerstone of her basilica "was solemnly blessed and laid" on October 15, 1929. Its remarkable edifice and accompanying works of religious art are uniquely uncharacteristic of its relatively recent construction.

The Basilica is a treasury of art, master craftsmanship and relics. The Discalced Carmelite Friars began serving the surrounding parish community in San Antonio in the late 1920s. The Basilica was thus constructed during the Great Depression

Great Depression

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...

 (1929–1931) and today stands as a monument to the great faith of devotees of St. Thérèse from throughout the United States and world.

Perhaps the most treasured work of art at the basilica is a painting of Ste. Thérèse created by the saint's own natural blood sister, Céline (Sr. Geneviève of the Holy Face). This very painting was used in the canonization ceremony for Ste. Thérèse in Rome in 1927. It is 7 ft (2.1 m) wide by 10 ft (3 m) tall, and is located in the baptistery in the vestibule of the church. This painting was part of the procession at the saint's canonization.

Restoration and significance

Currently the Basilica is undergoing a multi-million dollar restoration campaign to restore this beautiful spiritual and historic landmark to its original splendor and glory.

Now that the National Shrine of the Little Flower has been joined to the ranks of a minor basilica, the church's ecclesiastical throne has become, symbolically, a papal throne. The throne is original to the Basilica and has been used by various visiting prelates for over 70 years. Most recently it has been used by the Archbishop and auxiliary bishops of the Archdiocese of San Antonio during special liturgies, such as feast day Masses and ordinations at the Basilica.