Teresa of Ávila

28 March 1515 – 4 October 1582

Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582) was a Spanish Carmelite nun, mystic, and religious reformer who founded the Discalced Carmelites together with John of the Cross. Her writings, including The Interior Castle and her autobiography, are classics of Christian mystical literature. She was canonized in 1622 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1970.

Comparing
Compare

Lived at the same time

Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with Teresa of Ávila.

Life events

Born in Gotarrendura, Ávila province, Castile
28 March 1515

Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada was born into a noble family in the province of Ávila, Spain.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Sent to be educated by Augustinian nuns in Ávila
c. 1531

After her mother's death, Teresa was sent to the Augustinian convent school of Santa María de Gracia in Ávila.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Education ✓
Entered the Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation in Ávila
1535

Teresa entered the Carmelite Monastery of the Incarnation at Ávila, beginning her religious life as a nun.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓
Experienced a decisive religious conversion before an image of the wounded Christ
c. 1554

Teresa described a profound conversion experience while praying before a statue of the suffering Christ, deepening her mystical prayer life.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Personal ✓
Founded the Convent of St. Joseph in Ávila, first house of the Carmelite reform
24 August 1562

Teresa founded the reformed convent of San José in Ávila, beginning the Discalced Carmelite movement based on strict observance of the original Carmelite rule.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Completed her spiritual autobiography, The Life of Teresa of Jesus
c. 1565

Teresa finished the definitive version of her autobiography, written at the direction of her confessors.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Began collaboration with John of the Cross to extend the reform to Carmelite friars
1567

Teresa recruited John of the Cross to carry the Discalced reform into the male branch of the Carmelite order.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Relationship ✓
Wrote The Interior Castle, her masterpiece of mystical theology
1577

Teresa composed El Castillo Interior (The Interior Castle), describing the soul's progress through seven mansions toward union with God.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Died in Alba de Tormes, Spain
4 October 1582

Teresa died at the Discalced Carmelite convent in Alba de Tormes on the night the Gregorian calendar reform took effect in Spain.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Death ✓