Pope Francis caused great joy to all the faithful with the recent announcement about the parents of St. Therese of Lisieux, the spouses Louis and Zelie Martin. They will be canonized on 18 October, thus becoming the first couple of modern saints, raised to the honors of the altars when the Synod on the family will be in full swing.
The decisive factor, which attests to the sanctity of the couple, is a miracle that took place in 2008 through their intercession. The beneficiary of this grace is a newborn baby from Spain, Carmen Lourdes Pérez-Pons, miraculously healed directly after the beatification of the Martins, on 19 October of that year.
In fact, just a few days before this date, on October 15, in Valencia, little Carmen Lourdes was born prematurely, weighing just a pound and a half, and with severe respiratory insufficiency. In the following days, her condition worsened. A brain hemorrhage appeared, as well as necrosis in various parts of the brain, and septicemia. She was expected to die rapidly.
Then, on 24 November, a novena to the blessed Martins was begun and immediately, on the next day, the cerebral echography indicated marked improvement, the little baby began to breathe normally, and she was soon completely cured. Since then, that healing has been maintained, allowing regular physical and mental development. The experts consulted on the matter agreed unanimously that this complete recovery, without any residual pathological consequences, is scientifically inexplicable.
