Latest news with #CatholicSaint
The Sun
13-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
Preserved 440-year-old ‘miracle' corpse of Catholic nun Saint Teresa entombed in glass coffin unveiled to crowds
THE STAGGERINGLY well preserved corpse of a 16th century Catholic saint stunned onlookers when it was unveiled to the public. Many faithful Catholics were overwhelmed when the saw the body of St. Teresa of Jesus in Spain over the weekend. 3 3 3 The Discalced Carmelite nun's body was public for the first time since 1914 at the Basilica Annunciation of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Spain's Salamanca province on Sunday. While visibly skeletal at a glance, parts of the corpse are said to be remarkably well preserved. It came as part of a ceremony of public veneration - which has only taken place three times since the saint's death in 1582, according to The other two ceremonies were many centuries apart - in 1760 and 1914 - making this a once-in-a-lifetime chance for the faithful to pay their respects this way. Several visitors at the Basilica were visibly emotional at the sight of the centuries-old body. One worshipper present was pictured with her hand over her mouth upon catching a glimpse of the saint. Another seemed to be on the verge of tears, while many others were seen praying before St. Teresa's corpse. Discalced Carmelite nuns, monks and priests had opened her coffin so that relics of her heart, hand and arm could be studied. They compared the state of the body to a photo of the same remains from 1914. "The uncovered parts, which are the face and foot, are the same as those they were in 1914," Father Marco Chiesa said. "There is no colour, there is no skin colour, because the skin is mummified, but it is seen, especially in the middle of the face." Who was Saint Teresa of Jesus? Born in 1515, St. Teresa of Jesus was a leading Spanish nun and mystic in the Catholic Church. Also known as St. Teresa of Ávila, she was known as a leading reformer of the Carmelite Orders of monks and nuns. She was the first woman to be granted the honour of Doctor of the Church - marking her out as a significant contributor to Catholic teachings. Despite health problems throughout her life, she became a key spiritual leader during the Counter Reformation - one of the most turbulent episodes of the Church's history. She died in October 1582 and was declared a saint 40 years later in 1622. Researchers have marvelled at the body's incredible state of preservation. The 53-page preliminary report released in March outlined the staggering condition of the corpse, Spanish news outlet Salamanca RTV Al Dia has reported. Professor Luigi Capasso, leader of a team of Italian anthropologists, said: "The right foot, left hand, heart, and left arm are perfectly preserved, with intact skin, subcutaneous tissue, and muscles in place, and no signs of degradation." The preservation of her body is likely down to dry environmental factors in the tomb - and no artificial mummification was involved - according to the team. "It's a truly unique natural phenomenon," Professor Capasso added. Saint Teresa of Jesus died aged 67 in 1582 and was canonised - meaning made a saint - by Pope Gregory XV in 1622. Her's is not the only body of a revered Catholic figure to have drawn flocks of the faithful to pay respects. Devotees came this spring to the Sanctuary of the Spoliation in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Assisi to catch a glimpse of the late Carlo Acutis. Carlo was a Catholic teenager known as "God's influencer", who has since been beatified - meaning he is on the path to sainthood.
Fox News
12-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Corpse of 16th-century Catholic saint found 'perfectly preserved' goes on display, astonishing worshippers
WARNING: This article contains graphic images. Reader discretion is advised. The well-preserved body of an early modern saint was put on display in Spain on Sunday, months after she was discovered "miraculously incorrupt" last year. St. Teresa of Jesus, also called St. Teresa of Avila, was a Discalced Carmelite nun who was born in 1515 and died in 1582. This weekend, her body was put on public display in Alba de Tormes, Spain, for the first time since 1914. Pictures show Catholics visibly taken aback by the display, which was part of the opening ceremony of public veneration, on Sunday. Observers were seen covering their mouths, crying and praying at the sight of the Spanish saint. The body of St. Teresa was dressed in a nun's habit during the showing. Though the remains appeared mostly skeletal, certain areas appeared extremely well-preserved, including her foot. In September, officials from the Diocese of Avila opened St. Teresa's tomb and reported that she appeared exactly the same as when her tomb was first exhumed in 1914. "The uncovered parts, which are the face and foot, are the same as they were in 1914," Fr. Marco Chiesa said at the time. "There is no color, there is no skin color, because the skin is mummified, but it is seen, especially in the middle of the face." He added, "[It] looks good. Expert doctors see Teresa's face almost clearly." Researchers were also able to uncover insight into the female saint's medical history, as she had suffered from chronic pain that eventually rendered her immobile. Chiesa found calcareous spines, or heel spurs, that "made walking almost impossible" for St. Teresa. The Catholic official said, "Sometimes, looking at a body, you discover more than the person had [spoken about]." He added, "She walked [to] Alba de Tormes and then died, but her desire was to continue and move forward, despite the physical defects." In March, Spanish newspaper Salamanca RTV Al Día reported that the Discalced Carmelites received a 53-page preliminary analysis of the saint's condition, which a professor described as "perfectly preserved." "The right foot, left hand, heart and left arm are perfectly preserved, with intact skin, subcutaneous tissues and muscles in place and no signs of degradation," Italian anthropology professor Luigi Capasso said to the outlet. Preserved strands of brown hair were also reported by officials, though they appeared to be covered by the nun's headdress on Sunday. The saint also still retains one right eyelid and a dark iris, along with nasal tissue, according to Salamanca RTV Al Día. Officials believe that St. Teresa remained in such extraordinary condition due to the dry atmosphere of her tomb. Excessive moisture typically accelerates the decomposing process, and Capasso reported that he had taken care to "block any future degradation, mechanical or biological." "This preservation, more than 400 years after her death, transmits a serenity that reflects how she faced her departure," the professor said. "It is a truly unique natural phenomenon."
