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Little flower power draws thousands to see relics
THOUSANDS of worshippers have flocked to a Tyneside church to see the relics of a saint.
A casket containing a collection of bones of St Thrse of Lisieux, known as the Little Flower, Ahave been pulling big crowds.
It was on display at St Andrew's Roman Catholic Church in Newcastle from yesterday until this morning. The Worswick Street church has been visited by more than 3,000 people eager to see the relics of the French nun, killed by tuberculosis in 1897.
The relics arrived in the country last month on a 28-date tour of cathedrals.
It is estimated more than 80,000 people have turned out to see them nationwide.
Father Andrew Downie, chaplain at Newcastle and Northumbria University, said: "She was one of the most popular of the modern saints.
"She captured people's imaginations and people identified with her because she suffered illness.
"It is a bit of a surprise that so many people have come here but her story really touched the lives of people."
Some had queued for hours just for a glimpse of the reliquary containing the bones of the Saint's right leg, thigh and foot held in a silver container inside a casket shaped like a temple.
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Weather for South Shields
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
