Louis Martin was born in Bourdeaux on August 22, 1823. A man of faith and prayer, he cultivated for a period of time the desire to consecrate himself to God in the hospice of Great St. Bernard but, discouraged by the study of Latin, he turned towards the profession of watchmaker and settled in Alençon.

Zélie Guerin was born in Gandelain, near Saint-Denis-sur-Sarthon, on December 23, 1831. She received an education that made her a skilled «point d’Alençon» lace maker. She too desired to enter religious life, but her precarious health and the negative judgment of the Superior of the Daughters of Charity in Alençon dissuaded her.

Zélie providentially met Louis on the Saint Leonard bridge: she passed a young man whose noble bearing, reserved gait, attitude full of dignity, impressed her. At the same time, an inner voice secretly murmured to her, «This is the man I have prepared for you.» They were united in marriage a few months later in the Notre-Dame Church of Alençon, on the night of July 13, 1858. They had the joy of giving birth to nine children; they lost four at an early age, but neither their mourning nor trials weakened their deep faith, sustained by daily attendance at the Eucharist and filial devotion to the Virgin Mary. Their last daughter was to become Saint Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, Doctor of the Church; of another daughter, Leonie (Sr. Francoise Therese, a Visitandine nun), her Cause of Beatification was opened on July 2^nd 2015.

Louis and Zélie Martin are a sublime example of conjugal love, of a hardworking Christian family, attentive to others, generous towards the poor and animated by an exemplary missionary spirit, ready to collaborate in parish activities.

Zélie died in Alençon on 28^th of August 1877 after a long illness. Louis then moved to Lisieux to ensure a better future for his five daughters. He who was called the Patriarch, after having offered all his daughters to God, experienced the humiliation of a disabling illness, which he lived through with dignity. He died near Evreux on 29^th of July 1894.

The beatification ceremony was held on October 19, 2008. The solemn canonization ceremony on October 18, 2015.