Saint · Early modern
Teresa of Ávila
Carmelite reformer, spiritual writer and mystic; Doctor of the Church
- Period
- 1515–1582
- Feast day
- 15 October
- Associated region
- Ávila and Alba de Tormes (Castile, Spain)
Overview
Carmelite nun who founded the reformed convent of San José in Ávila in 1562 and wrote the Life, The Way of Perfection and The Interior Castle.
Key timeline
4 events
- 28 March 1515Approximate
Birth at Ávila (birthplace uncertain)
- 1534
Enters the Carmelite Convent of the Incarnation
- from St Peter’s Day 1559Own account
Visions of Christ begin
As she describes them in her Life.
- 1562
Founds the reformed convent of San José, Ávila
Life
Teresa was born on 28 March 1515 in Ávila, or possibly at Gotarrendura; the birthplace is uncertain. She died at Alba de Tormes on 4 or 15 October 1582, the date depending on the change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar.
She entered the Carmelite Convent of the Incarnation in Ávila in 1534, at about twenty.
In 1562 she founded the reformed convent of San José in Ávila. In her Life she describes visions of Christ that began on St Peter’s Day, 1559, and a vision in which a seraph pierces her heart with a fiery lance.
Principal written sources
- Authentic, dated: Life (Libro de la vida), written at Ávila 1562–1565 and published after her death; The Way of Perfection, written before 1567 at her confessor’s direction and published in 1566; The Interior Castle (Las Moradas), written in 1577 and published in 1588.
- Later account: none is named in the checked article beyond her own writings.
Full timeline
- 28 March 1515Approximate
Birth at Ávila (birthplace uncertain)
- 1534
Enters the Carmelite Convent of the Incarnation
- from St Peter’s Day 1559Own account
Visions of Christ begin
As she describes them in her Life.
- 1562
Founds the reformed convent of San José, Ávila
- 1562–1565Own account
Life written at Ávila
Published after her death.
- 1566
The Way of Perfection published
- 1577
The Interior Castle written
Published 1588.
- 4 or 15 October 1582
Death at Alba de Tormes
Date depends on the calendar used.
- 1622Church-recognised
Canonised
By Pope Gregory XV.
- 27 September 1970Church-recognised
Declared a Doctor of the Church
By Pope Paul VI.
Tradition
Canonised in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV. Named a Doctor of the Church on 27 September 1970 by Pope Paul VI, the first woman so honoured, along with Catherine of Siena.
Bernini’s Ecstasy of Saint Teresa draws partly on her account of the transverberation.
- Feast day
- 15 October — Feast day
- Venerated in (starting dataset)
- Catholic, Anglican. Recognised by the Catholic Church: canonised in 1622 and named a Doctor of the Church in 1970. The workbook also lists Anglican veneration, which the checked article does not confirm.
- Patronage and roles (starting dataset)
- Spanish Writers, Headache sufferers, Carmelite Order
- Places
- Ávila · Gotarrendura · San José (Ávila) · Alba de Tormes
Accounts
Accounts in the starting dataset
The source workbook lists these under “Confirmed Miracle / Key Event”. The Atlas does not treat them as confirmed: each is labelled by the kind of evidence behind it.
Own accountThe angel’s fiery lance (transverberation)
“Mystical transverberation of heart by angel's fiery golden lance”
Teresa describes this in her autobiography. A footnote notes that she calls the being a cherub; Fr Domingo Báñez wrote that it seemed a seraph, and most editors follow him. This is her own account, not an independent report.
TraditionalLevitation during prayer in front of the sisters
“Levitating during prayer in front of Carmelite sisters”
The checked article says her raptures sometimes involved levitation and that she asked her sisters to hold her down. No source is cited for that detail. The claim of levitation at Mass cites Clissold (1982).
Sources
About the image · Editorial design
Decorative initial T, drawn for the Atlas. It is not a likeness of Teresa.
Editorial status
Reference entry, drafted with particular care. Key dates were spot-checked during this build against the sources marked “checked” below; other references are listed for later verification.
References
Reference work✓ Checked in build session
Teresa of Ávila (opens in a new tab)
Opened in this session. Checked: birth (28 March 1515, Ávila or Gotarrendura) and death (4 or 15 October 1582, Alba de Tormes), entry to the Incarnation (1534), San José (1562), the writings and dates (Life 1562–65 and published posthumously; Way of Perfection published 1566; Interior Castle written 1577, published 1588), canonisation (1622), the Doctor (27 September 1970, first woman with Catherine), the transverberation (her own account; Báñez’s note) and the levitation claims (no source for the raptures; Clissold 1982 for Mass).
Workbook linkNot yet checked
britannica.com (opens in a new tab)
Link supplied in the source workbook (“Top 100 Saints”, row 81). It has not been checked to confirm that it supports every claim in that row.
Original workbook record
Imported unchanged from “Top 100 Saints”, row 81. Values here are the starting dataset, not verified facts; where the Atlas differs, the reason is noted below.
- #
- 73
- Saint / Title
- Saint Teresa of Ávila
- Primary Traditions Veneration
- Catholic, Anglican
- Feast Day(s)
- Oct 15
- Era / Lived
- 1515 – 1582 AD
- Origin / Region
- Ávila, Spain
- Patronage & Major Roles
- Spanish Writers, Headache sufferers, Carmelite Order
- Confirmed Miracle / Key Event 1
- Mystical transverberation of heart by angel's fiery golden lance
- Confirmed Miracle / Key Event 2
- Levitating during prayer in front of Carmelite sisters
- Key Contribution / Historical Significance
- Spanish Carmelite reformer, mystic, and Doctor of Church; wrote 'The Interior Castle'.
- Reference Link
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Teresa-of-Avila
Editorial notes on this record
- Era / Lived: Birthplace and death date are uncertain (Ávila or Gotarrendura; 4 or 15 October 1582 by calendar).
- Confirmed Miracle / Key Event 2: Levitation: the sources are her description of raptures and a later claim; recorded as traditional.