Spanish Carmelite nun born in Avila, Castile, famous reformer of the Carmelite order. From a noble family, motherless (1529), she entered the convent of the Carmelites of the Incarnation of Castile (1535). In the convent she became seriously ill (1537) and was disabled for three years, during which time she learned to pray mentally. Recovered, she lived about 15 more years in spiritual crisis, until she had a vision of the crucified Christ. Since then, she worked tirelessly for the reform of the order, founded monasteries and wrote a literary work that is perhaps the most important in sixteenth-century Spain. Considering the Carmel order's return to primitive purity and austerity, her ideas met with hostility from church personalities. Despite everything, she obtained permission from Pius IV and founded the convent of St. Joseph in Avila (1562).
This work generated a negative reaction from public and religious figures, but she unconditionally insisted on both poverty and public donations for the subsistence of the house. Five years later, the convent was inspected by the order's prior general, João Batista Rossi, who not only approved the work but also insisted that it expand the movement. Aided by the Carmelite priest Juan de Yepes, later Saint John of the Cross, she extended the reform to priests as well. Years later (1575), a great dispute divided the Carmelites into two factions: the barefoot, supporters of primitive rule, and the shoes or mitigated rule. With the victory of the hunted she was taken to a convent in Castile and John was imprisoned in Toledo (1577). Through the efforts of King Philip II of Spain, she regained her freedom of action and was able to continue her work and, by decision of Gregory XIII, the barefoot gained the right to constitute an independent order (1580).
Throughout her life, she founded 16 convents and 14 monasteries. Self-titled Teresa of Jesus began writing (1562), influenced by St. Augustine and St. Peter of Alcântara, and became one of the greatest writers in the Spanish language, with most of her works published posthumously. In her texts she curiously condemned excesses of ascetic severity, despite her order practicing sobriety and seclusion. She died in Alba de Tormes, while traveling from Burgos to Avila.
Canonized by Gregory XV (1622), it is celebrated in Spain on August 27th, and in the rest of the world on October 15th. She was the first woman to receive the title of Doctor of the Church, by decree of Paul VI (1970). Her books include Libro de su vida dela (1601), Libro de las fundaciones (1610), Camino de la perfección (1583) and Castillo interior or Libro de las siete moradas (1588). She also wrote poems, of which 31 remain, and a huge correspondence, with 458 authenticated letters.
Figure copied from the CADE MEU SANTO website:
http://www.cademeusanto.com.br/
Source: http://www.dec.ufcg.edu.br/biografias/
Order T - Biography - Brazil School
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/biografia/teresa-de-cepeda-y-ahumada.htm
