SAINT THERESA OF AVILA

Saint Teresa of Ávila (also known as Saint Teresa of Jesus) was a Spanish Carmelite nun, mystic, reformer, and one of the most influential figures in the history of Christian spirituality. She was born on March 28, 1515, in Ávila, Spain, and died on October 4, 1582.

Teresa entered the Carmelite convent in her youth but became disillusioned with what she saw as a lax spiritual life within the order. After a powerful spiritual awakening and years of inner struggle, she undertook a reform of the Carmelite order, seeking a return to a life of poverty, prayer, and contemplative silence. This reform movement eventually led to the founding of the Discalced Carmelites (“discalced” meaning barefoot, symbolizing humility and simplicity), along with Saint John of the Cross, who worked on the male branch of the reform.

She was known for her profound mystical experiences, which she described in detail in her writings. Among her most important works are:

• The Life of Teresa of Jesus (autobiography)
• The Interior Castle (a guide to spiritual development and union with God)
• The Way of Perfection (instructions to her nuns on prayer and virtue)

Her writings, rooted in personal experience and deep theological insight, remain classics of Christian mysticism. She emphasized the centrality of prayer as a loving dialogue with God and described the soul’s journey inward as a path to divine union.

Saint Teresa was canonized in 1614 by Pope Gregory XV and, in 1970, she became one of the first women to be declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI, recognizing the profound influence and authority of her theological work.

Her feast day is celebrated on October 15.

She is the patron saint of:

• Spain
• Headache sufferers
• People in religious orders
• People seeking mental peace or deeper prayer
• Mystics and contemplatives

In art, she is often depicted in the habit of the Discalced Carmelites, with a book or quill (symbolizing her writings), and sometimes in ecstasy, pierced by an arrow of divine love, reflecting one of her most famous mystical visions.

16”x20” acrylic on wood. 
Prayerfully made by Stephen Hotchkiss. 
If unavailable please inquire about having a similar painting made.