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BIOGRAPHY 1

LOUIS MARTIN (1823-1894)

Louis was born in Bordeaux (France) in 1823. At the age of
22 he moved with his family to Alençon where he began his studies.
To the regret of the family, he refused a military career, preferring
to devote himself to working as a watchmaker, which had fascinated
him since childhood. So his apprenticeship began, first in Rennes
and then in Strasbourg. These were decisive years, during which the
desire to consecrate himself to God was born in his heart. However,
his difficulty in learning Latin forced him to give up this project. In
1850, he returned to Alençon, where he opened a watch and jewelry
shop.

MARIE-AZÉLIE GUÉRIN (1831-1877)

Marie-Azélie (Zélie) was born on December 23, 1831, in
Gandelain, France. The education she received from her parents, of
steadfast faith, yet harsh, authoritative and demanding, would shape
BIOGRAPHY let her enter the convent because of her poor health. Zélie did not
her personality, rigor and spirituality forever. After finishing her
studies, she felt called to religious life, but the Superior refused to

lose heart, and with the help of her sister, she devoted herself to the
art of embroidery that she learned at the “School of Lace” and, in
particular, to manufacturing a certain lace known as Alençon lace.
When she was only 22 years old, she opened her first embroidery
workshop which, in a short time, thanks to the support of several
Parisian manufacturers, expanded and became a true business.

1 Cf. Dominique Menvielle, La famille Martin en cordée vers le ciel, Éd. Emmanuel, Paris 2020,
pp. 17-45.