Teresa of Ávila’s Followers (349)

Teresa of Ávila

Born

in Gotarrendura (Ávila), Spain

March 08, 1515

Died

September 14, 1582

Genre

Religion & Spirituality, Biography, Mystic

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Saint Teresa of Jesús, also called Saint Teresa of Ávila, was a prominent Spanish mystic, Carmelite nun, and writer of the Counter Reformation. She was a reformer of the Carmelite Order and is considered to be, along with John of the Cross, a founder of the Discalced Carmelites. In 1970 she was named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI.

Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda Dávila y Ahumada Borned in Ávila, Spain, on March 28, 1515, St. Teresa was the daughter of a Toledo merchant and his second wife, who died when Teresa was 15, one of ten children. Shortly after this event, Teresa was entrusted to the care of the Augustinian nuns. After reading the letters of St. Jerome, Teresa resolved to enter a religious life. In 1535, she joined the Carmelite Or Saint Teresa of Jesús, also called Saint Teresa of Ávila, was a prominent Spanish mystic, Carmelite nun, and writer of the Counter Reformation. She was a reformer of the Carmelite Order and is considered to be, along with John of the Cross, a founder of the Discalced Carmelites. In 1970 she was named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI.

Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda Dávila y Ahumada Borned in Ávila, Spain, on March 28, 1515, St. Teresa was the daughter of a Toledo merchant and his second wife, who died when Teresa was 15, one of ten children. Shortly after this event, Teresa was entrusted to the care of the Augustinian nuns. After reading the letters of St. Jerome, Teresa resolved to enter a religious life. In 1535, she joined the Carmelite Order. She spent a number of relatively average years in the convent, punctuated by a severe illness that left her legs paralyzed for three years, but then experienced a vision of "the sorely wounded Christ" that changed her life forever.

From this point forward, Teresa moved into a period of increasingly ecstatic experiences in which she came to focus more and more sharply on Christ's passion. With these visions as her impetus, she set herself to the reformation of her order, beginning with her attempt to master herself and her adherence to the rule. Gathering a group of supporters, Teresa endeavored to create a more primitive type of Carmelite. From 1560 until her death, Teresa struggled to establish and broaden the movement of Discalced or shoeless Carmelites. During the mid-1560s, she wrote the Way of Perfection and the Meditations on the Canticle. In 1567, she met St. John of the Cross, who she enlisted to extend her reform into the male side of the Carmelite Order. Teresa died in 1582.

St. Teresa left to posterity many new convents, which she continued founding up to the year of her death. She also left a significant legacy of writings, which represent important benchmarks in the history of Christian mysticism. These works include the Way of Perfection and the Interior Castle. She also left an autobiography, the Life of St. Teresa of Ávila. ...more

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Teresa of Ávila’s books

Average rating: 4.17 · 15,761 ratings · 982 reviews · 356 distinct works • Similar authors

	Interior Castle 4.14 avg rating — 7,795 ratings — published 1588 — 482 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Way of Perfection 4.16 avg rating — 3,680 ratings — published 1583 — 270 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself 4.13 avg rating — 2,473 ratings — published 1565 — 420 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Let Nothing Disturb You (30 Days With a Great Spiritual Teacher) 4.46 avg rating — 297 ratings — published 1996 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Ávila, Vol. 1 by Teresa of Ávila, Kieran Kavanaugh (Translator), Otilio Rodríguez (Translator) 4.52 avg rating — 215 ratings — published 1976 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila. Volume 2: The Way of Perfection, Meditations on the Song of Songs, The Interior Castle by Teresa of Ávila, Kieran Kavanaugh (Translator), Otilio Rodríguez (Translator) 4.54 avg rating — 127 ratings — published 1980 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, Vol. 3 by Teresa of Ávila, Kieran Kavanaugh (Translator), Otilio Rodríguez (Translator) 4.52 avg rating — 63 ratings — published 1946 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Saint Teresa of Avila: Devotions, Prayers and Living Wisdom by Teresa of Ávila, Mirabai Starr (Goodreads Author) (Editor) 4.21 avg rating — 56 ratings — published 2007 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Obras Completas de Santa Teresa de Jesús by Teresa of Ávila, Vicente de la Fuente (Introduction) 4.62 avg rating — 42 ratings — published 1967 — 91 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	La Vida. Las Moradas. 4.03 avg rating — 39 ratings — published 1966 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Teresa of Ávila…

Series by Teresa of Ávila

The Collected Works in 3 vol. (3 books)
by

Teresa of Ávila,

Kieran Kavanaugh (Translator),

Otilio Rodríguez (Translator),

Sally J. Bensusen (Illustrator)

4.53 avg rating — 405 ratings

Quotes by Teresa of Ávila (?)

“Let nothing perturb you, nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything.”
― Saint Teresa of Avila

539 likes

“May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.”
― Teresa of Ávila

406 likes

“Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.”
― Santa Teresa de Jesús

tags: catholicism, god, spirituality

244 likes

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Teresa of Ávila’s Followers (349)

Teresa of Ávila

Combine EditionsTeresa of Ávila’s books

Series by Teresa of Ávila

Topics Mentioning This Author

Combine Editions
Teresa of Ávila’s books