marie was born on 4 october 1816 in rennes, brittany to peter and frances portier eluere, and baptized in the church of st. germain. as a child she was called perrine. her mother died when she was twelve and she was sent to learn dressmaking with two of her paternal aunts. on 13 november 1839 she entered the carmel at tours, a carmel that had a particular devotion to the sacred heart. perrine had a special devotion to the holy infancy of jesus. she was professed as a carmelite nun under the name sister mary st. peter of the holy family on 8 june 1841.