Edith was baptized on the1^st of january 1922 in Bergzabern. For her Christian name she chose ‘Theresia’.On the14^th October she found great peace within herself when she joined the Karmel of Cologne. She was the author of many books. In the Karmel of Echt she wrote one of her major great works ‘The science of the cross’. She worked hard to improve the position of women.

Edith Stein spent a considerable time inside the walls of the Karmel in the Bovenstestraat in Echt, namely from 31^st December 1938 to the 2^nd August 1942, the day when she and her sister Rosa were arrested by the Gestapo, deported and finally horribly gassed. She died a martyr in the destruction camp at Auschwitz.The reason of this deportation was the reading out in churches of the pastoral writing from the Dutch episcopacy in which a powerful protest against persecution of jews came forward.

On the 1^st May 1987 Karmelites Zr. Theresia Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) was declared beatific by Pope John Paul II in Cologne. On the11^th of October 1998 she was canonized by Pope John Paul II at Saint Peters Square in Rome. On this occasion a celebration took place on the 25^th of October 1998 at the Landricus Church in Echt. After this celebration a silent parade took place through the streets of Echt, which finally ended at the Karmel where a great closing ceremony took place.