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Saint Teresa of Avila was born on the 28th of March, 1515, in Avila, Spain.
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When Saint Teresa was five years old, she convinced her older brother, to leave home and both go far away to become martyrs of the church. They went far away, but their uncle found them and bought them back home.
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After the incident that occurred, she lived a normal life, but was told by others that she was a bad sinner. As a teenager, she only cared about boys, looking good and flirting. When her father found out, he sent her to a convent at Saint Maria de Gracia. Source picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teresa_of_Ávila
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St Teresa of Avila entered the entered the Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation at Avila. She started to learn and practise mental prayer.
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Saint Teresa of Avila fell ill and was diagnosed with malaria. As she had a seizure, people around her thought that she was dead, so they prepared her grave for her. Four days later, she woke up and was paralysed for three years. She used her sickness as an excuse to not pray because she felt unhealthy and lonely.
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At age 41, a priest encouraged her to go back and pray, but she found it hard. As she continued to pray, she started to have visions of God and his presence and after the visions, she devoted herself completely to God. All the experiences she received from God have her peace, inspiration and encouragement.
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Saint Teresa wrote the constitutions for the San Jose De Avila convent. Her books, “The Life of Teresa of Jesus”, and “The Interior Castle”, were an essential part of the Spanish Regeneration literature as well as the Christian religion and Christian meditation. She was the reformer of the Carmelite Order and with John of the Cross; they both founded the Discalced Carmelites. Teresa made the Discalced Carmelites, in hope for the nuns of Europe to return in a purer form of Christianity.
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While Teresa was writing her book throughout her life, her writings were investigated six times by the Spanish Inquisition and she was also accused of Heresy. In addition, Papal Nuncio considered her as unstable, disobedient, and restless and a stubborn woman.
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Pope Pius IV gave Saint Teresa, permission to open up San Jose De Avila (Saint Joseph). That was the day that they celebrated the opening of the convent.
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St Teresa was granted permission to find other convents. On the 15th of August, she founded a convent called Medina del Campo.
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A convent was found in Malagon.
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She found a convent in Valladolid.
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A convent was found in Toledo.
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St Teresa found a convent in Pastrana.
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She found a monastery in Pastrana, where she changed it all around.
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Another convent was found in Salamanca.
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With Saint John of the Cross, St Teresa found a reformed monastery in Alba de Tormes, and was in charge of the Salamanca convent. Saint John of the Cross became a chaplain at Encarnacion de Avila.
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Saint Teresa and Saint John of the Cross founded the Segovia Monastery.
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Another convent was found in Beas.
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Teresa continued her reform movement, and she also continued writing “The Interior Castle”.
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Saint Teresa almost died after having influenza. She continued finding convents and one was found in Villanueva de la Jara and Palencia.
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A new constitution was created and a convent was found in Soria.
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Saint Teresa of Avila arrived at Alba de Tormes.
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After arriving at Alba de Tormes, Teresa knew that she was going to die.
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St Teresa received the Sacrament of the Anointing of the sick and Confession.
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Saint Teresa dies in the arms of Ana de San Bartholome (Anne of Saint Bartholomew), due to natural causes.
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Paul V declared St Teresa of Avila a blessed.
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Saint Teresa of Avila was canonized with other saints like Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Isidore and Philip Neri.
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She was declared a Doctor of the Church. St Teresa of Avila is the patron saint of headache sufferes.
