The Carmelites of Compiègne

An inspiring story of courage in the face of persecution for one’s religious beliefs.

During the height of the French Revolution, at the peak of the Reign of Terror, sixteen Carmelite nuns from Compiègne were arrested, tried, and condemned to death. On July 17, 1794, they were led to the guillotine.

For months, they had offered their lives as a sacrifice for peace, steadfast in their faith. As they ascended the scaffold, they lifted their voices in singing Veni, Creator Spiritus, a final act of devotion. Ten days later, the Reign of Terror collapsed. 

Their story has inspired artists for over a century—from Gertrud von le Fort’s novella The Song at the Scaffold to Georges Bernanos’s dramatic play Dialogues of the Carmelites to Francis Poulenc’s haunting opera of the same name. This story will prove to be a timeless testament to faith, sacrifice, and the power of peaceful resistance. 

Pope Francis officially declared them saints in December 2024.