St. Teresa of Ávila

          

Saint Teresa of Ávila, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, baptized as Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada, (March 28, 1515 – October 4, 1582) was a prominent Spanish mystic, Roman Catholic saint, Carmelite nun, and writer of the Counter Reformation, and theologian of contemplative life through mental prayer. She was a reformer of the Carmelite Order and is considered to be, along with John of the Cross, a founder of the Discalced Carmelites.

In 1622, forty years after her death, she was canonized by Pope Gregory XV, and in 1970 named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI. Her books, which include her autobiography, The Life of Teresa of Jesus, and her seminal work, El Castillo Interior (The Interior Castle), are an integral part of the Spanish Renaissance literature as well as Christian mysticism and Christian meditation practices as she entails in her other important work Camino de Perfección (The Way of Perfection).

Quick Summery

Born	March 28, 1515 Ávila, (Today Spain)
Died	October 4, 1582(1582-10-04) (aged 67)Alba de Tormes, Salamanca, Spain
Honored in	Roman Catholic Church Lutheran Church Anglican Communion
Beatified	April 24, 1614, Rome by Pope Paul V
Canonized	March 12, 1622, Rome by Pope Gregory XV
Major shrine	Convent of the Annunciation, Alba de Tormes, Spain
Feast	October 15
Attributes	habit of the Discalced Carmelites, Book and Quill, arrow-pierced heart
Patronage	Bodily ills; headaches; lacemakers; laceworkers; loss of parents; people in need of grace; people in religious orders; people ridiculed for their piety, sick people; sickness; Spain