Teresa of Avila

Teresa of Avila, also known as Teresa of Jesus, was a Spanish Carmelite nun and one of the most influential mystics and religious reformers in the history of Christianity. She was born in 1515 in Ávila, a city in the Castile region of Spain, to a wealthy and pious family of conversos (Jewish converts to Christianity). She was fascinated by the lives of saints and martyrs from an early age, and at 18 she entered the Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation in Ávila. However, she soon became disillusioned with the laxity and worldliness of the convent, which allowed frequent visits from outsiders and little observance of the rule of silence and solitude. She also suffered from various illnesses that left her partially paralyzed for three years. During her recovery, she began to practice mental prayer, a form of meditation that involved an intimate dialogue with God. She also read the Confessions of St. Augustine, which inspired her to seek a deeper union with God. In 1554, at the age of 39, she had a profound mystical experience that changed her life. She saw an angel who pierced her heart with a flaming arrow, causing her to feel an intense love for God and a desire to suffer for him. She later described this experience as a "spiritual betrothal" with Christ. She also began to receive visions, locutions, raptures, and other supernatural graces that confirmed her call to reform the Carmelite order. In 1562, with the support of her confessor and some prominent ecclesiastics, she founded the first convent of the Discalced Carmelites in Ávila. The Discalced Carmelites were a reformed branch of the order that followed a stricter observance of poverty, enclosure, silence, and prayer. Teresa also wrote the Rule of Life for her nuns, which emphasized humility, obedience, and love. She also encouraged them to cultivate a personal relationship with Christ as their spouse and friend. Teresa faced many difficulties and oppositions in her reform project. She was accused of being deluded by the devil, of disobeying her superiors, and of causing division in the order. She was also investigated by the Inquisition several times, but was never condemned. She persevered in her mission with courage and joy, trusting in God's providence and guidance. She traveled throughout Spain, founding 17 convents for women and 15 for men, with the help of St. John of the Cross, another great mystic and reformer. She also wrote several books that are considered classics of spiritual literature, such as The Way of Perfection, The Interior Castle, and The Book of Her Life. In these works, she shared her insights on prayer, contemplation, mysticism, and the stages of spiritual growth. She died in 1582 at the age of 67 in Alba de Tormes, where she was buried. Her body was found to be incorrupt when it was exhumed several years later. She was canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1970 by Pope Paul VI. She is regarded as one of the greatest saints and women in history, as well as a patroness of Spain, writers, headache sufferers, and lacemakers.