A casket containing the bones of St Therese of Lisieux will be on display at the church from Thursday evening, as part of a visit to England and Wales.

York Minster is the only Anglican Church in the programme of venues.

It will open continuously for 18 hours so visitors can see the relics, which some believe have healing properties.

St Therese is one of the major saints of the Roman Catholic Church, and was described by Pope Pious X as “the greatest saint of modern times”.

Influential writings

Many Christians of other traditions and denominations are influenced by her writings and her life.

The youngest of nine children, St Therese was admitted to a Carmelite convent in 1888 at the age of 15 after petitioning her local bishop and then Pope Leo XIII.

She died of tuberculosis in 1897 at the age of 24, and was declared a saint in 1925.

The arrival of the remains have already drawn crowds of thousands at churches across Britain.

They will be on display at York Minster until 1200 BST on Friday.

The relics will also be shown in Leeds and Sheffield.

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