Did you know that one of St. Therese the Little Flower’s sisters was an artist? Celine Martin, the one closest to little Therese in both age and friendship, was blessed with a special talent for painting. When she was a novice in the Carmelite Convent with Therese, Celine was often encouraged by Therese to take advantage of all the little opportunities to make working on her artwork an even greater and selfless act of love for God. And later, after her little sister had died, Celine had the joy of using her ability to produce a number of illustrations of the Saint’s life. Besides the famous paintings of her little Therese, there is one other image by Celine that is perhaps even more well known. It is her painting of the Holy Face of Jesus.

One of the many things that these two sisters shared in common was a great devotion to Jesus’ Holy Face. In fact, they both took it for their name in religion. Saint Therese’s full title is: Sr. Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face; and Celine’s name as a nun was: Sr. Genevieve of the Holy Face. And so, imagine Celine’s joy when, shortly after Therese’ death in 1897 - she received a book from her uncle M. Guerin that had photographs of the Holy Face from the Shroud of Turin (see my two Fun Facts: 136 + 137 Photograph of Christ: Parts 1 + 2).

Many a quiet and treasured evening was spent meditating on the beloved Face of Jesus. Celine’s heart was deeply moved by what she saw: "It is indeed my Jesus, such as I have pictured Him... And studying the traces of His sufferings by means of the wounds I followed the impression of the cruel crown of thorns. I saw the blood, coagulating in the hair, and running down in large drops. On top of the head, to the left, one senses that the crown must have been torn off with difficulty. The hair was raised under this strain and plastered together by blood. The left eye appears to be slightly open and the right eye is puffed up. I saw the upper part of the nose was broken, the right cheek and nostrils swollen by the servant's blow, the beard all covered with blood...Then, no longer able to contain myself, I covered this adorable Face with my kisses and bathed It with my tears. I made the resolution to paint a Holy Face after this ideal I had seen."

This resolution was certainly Heaven’s inspiration - and They gave her the grace and perseverance to see it done. The task was not an easy one and Celine was not even able to begin drawing until Easter of 1904. Her first picture was in charcoal, but this was not sturdy enough to be able to be reproduced. And so it was decided that she should do the image again - this time with paints, while still keeping to the original motif of black and white.

She worked on the painting in whatever spare time she had; in all her free hours, on Sundays, during holidays - whenever she could. She was very determined to copy every detail that she could from the Holy Shroud; standing for long period of time (which was no small sacrifice for her) and making use of a magnifying glass to carefully study the life size photographs she had as reference. With patient perseverance, Celine continued her task until it was complete - with magnificent and blessed results!

This time, her work was able to be copied and reproduced. And in fact, the painting became so renowned that, in 1909, it was included in the International Exposition of Religious Art of Bois-le-Duc, in Holland - and was distinguished worldwide by winning the grand prix!

Celine received another, and even greater, award and trophy for her work. Pope St. Pius X saw her painting of the Holy Face and was heard to repeat, as he gazed it for some time: "How beautiful it is!". Then, with his natural charity and holy gratitude, he said : "I want to give a souvenir to the religious who made that." The token Celine received was an image of the Holy Father: his portrait engraved on a large bronze medal (a touching reward for painting the portrait of Jesus).

In the end, Celine was blessed with the knowledge that - with many and many copies being distributed worldwide - her little painting was spreading devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus: the devotion so close to her and Therese’s hearts. And now, as she has joined her little sister in Heaven, Celine is receiving the greatest reward for her act of love - beholding the noble and loving countenance of her beloved Jesus… face to Face.