Latest news with #SaintTeresaofÁvila
New York Post
26-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
Catholics flock to Spain to see remains of saint — 440 years after she died
ALBA DE TORMES, Spain — They lined up to see her, silent and wonderstruck: Inside an open silver casket was Saint Teresa of Ávila, more than 440 years after her death. Catholic worshippers have been flocking to Alba de Tormes, a town ringed by rolling pastures in western Spain where the remains of the Spanish saint, mystic and 16th-century religious reformer were on display this month. 'It gave me a feeling of fulfillment, of joy, and of sadness,' said Guiomar Sánchez, who traveled from Madrid with her two daughters on Sunday, the last full day of the exhibit. 3 The remains of Saint Teresa of Ávila, the Spanish saint, mystic, and 16th-century religious reformer, are displayed at a church in Alba de Tormes, Salamanca, northwestern Spain, on Sunday, May 11, 2025. AP Inspired by her mother's belief in the Carmelite nun, Sánchez praised the mystic's writings as being ahead of her time. Sánchez said she also came in part to honor her mother. 'Seeing her was an inexplicable experience,' Sánchez added. On Monday morning, the casket of the saint who died in 1582 was resealed and carried through the town streets, with pilgrims following the procession. It is unclear how many years — or decades — will pass before the church once again makes St. Teresa's remains visible to the public. Teresa was last displayed in 1914, when devotees had a single day to see the saint. This time, the display drew almost 100,000 visitors over two weeks, said Miguel Ángel González, the prior of the Discalced Carmelites of Salamanca. The casket that holds the saint's remains is barely 1.3 meters (4 feet) long. What is visible is a skull dressed in a habit with vestments covering other parts of the body, not all of which is intact. The saint's heart is kept in another part of the church, officials said. Other body parts — fingers, a hand and a jaw — are kept as relics in churches across Europe. 3 Catholic worshippers line up to view the remains of Saint Teresa of Ávila, the Spanish saint, mystic, and 16th-century religious reformer, displayed at a church in Alba de Tormes, Salamanca, northwestern Spain, on Sunday, May 11, 2025. AP Teresa is a towering figure from Spain's Golden Age and 16th-century Counter-Reformation. Her explorations of the inner life and meditations on her relationship with God were controversial, yet they have been held up over the centuries as a 'profound treatise on spirituality,' said José Calvo, a professor of theology at the Pontifical University of Salamanca who specializes in Medieval history. Many have worshipped her. Former Spanish dictator Gen. Francisco Franco is believed to have kept a relic of the saint's hand next to his bed. Last September, the newly elected Pope Leo XIV visited the saint's birthplace in Avila, an hour's drive from Alba de Tormes. 3 The remains of Saint Teresa of Ávila, the Spanish saint, mystic, and 16th-century religious reformer, are displayed at a church in Alba de Tormes, Salamanca, northwestern Spain, on Sunday, May 11, 2025. AP Teresa's remains have also spawned memes online about the macabre nature of crowding around her centuries-old skull. In Alba de Tormes, church officials and experts downplayed such reactions, saying the display was nothing out of the ordinary for how Catholics have revered their saints for centuries. 'It was just something people always did when they thought somebody might be a saint,' said Cathleen Medwick, who wrote the book 'Teresa of Avila, The Progress of a Soul.' 'And the fact that her body hadn't decayed very much was also considered a sign of her sanctity,' Medwick added. Some worshippers this month were visibly moved. On Sunday, a group of nuns from India wiped away tears as they stood by the side of the casket and looked at the saint's remains behind a glass case. Gregoria Martín López, 75, climbed to an elevated part of the church behind the altar, hoping to get a better view from above of the diminutive saint's skull. 'The saint for me is a thing of great strength. If they close her, I can say that I saw her,' Martín said and with tears in her eyes, blew a kiss down to Teresa's relic as organ music filled the space.
Toronto Star
26-05-2025
- General
- Toronto Star
Tens of thousands flock to see a Spanish saint's remains more than 440 years after her death
ALBA DE TORMES, Spain (AP) — They lined up to see her, silent and wonderstruck: Inside an open silver coffin was Saint Teresa of Ávila, more than 440 years after her death. Catholic worshippers have been flocking to Alba de Tormes, a town ringed by rolling pastures in western Spain where the remains of the Spanish saint, mystic and 16th-century religious reformer were on display this month. More from The Star & partners
Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Incredible European town 28-miles from major city totally ignored by tourists
It can be reached in less than an hour by car from the nearest major cities, making the tiny town accessible for visitors wishing to explore its historic charm while enjoying the amenities of a major urban hub Nestled in the rolling hills of the Alcarria region of Guadalajara in the province of Castilla-La Mancha, Pastrana is a historic Spanish town celebrated for its rich heritage, striking architecture and literary connections. With its well-preserved artistic and cultural legacy and a population of around 900 inhabitants (as of May 2025), Pastrana is officially recognised as a conjunto histórico — or national heritage site. The town is located about 28 miles from Guadalajara, the nearest major city, and roughly 41 miles from Spain's capital Madrid, which means both of these metropolises can usually be reached in less than an hour by car. Tracing back to the 13th century, Pastrana was established as a repopulation village under the control of the Order of Calatrava — a major Spanish military and religious order founded in 1158 by King Sancho III of Castile. The Order built a small Romanesque church, laying the foundation for its spiritual and architectural development. In 1369, Pastrana was granted the privilege of villazgo, or township, going on to flourish as a market centre in the 15th century, benefiting from its strategic position at the meeting point of two streams. In the mid-16th century, the imposing Ducal Palace, a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, became the town's centrepiece. Saint Teresa of Ávila and Saint John of the Cross founded a number of Carmelite convents in Pastrana, cementing its status as a spiritual destination. Pastrana is renowned for its architectural gems, including the Renaissance-style Ducal Palace, the collegiate church with its Gothic and Baroque elements, and a collection of stately manor houses that line its cobbled streets. The Fuente de los Cuatro Caños, a striking 16th-century fountain, is a popular gathering spot for visitors. The town also houses the Tapestry Parish Museum, which preserves a remarkable collection of 15th-century Flemish tapestries, rescued and returned after the Spanish Civil War. Literary figures such the Nobel Prize -winning Camilo José Cela, who immortalised the Pastrana in his travelogue Journey to the Alcarria, add to the area's rich cultural tapestry. As he wrote in his aforementioned classic: 'Perhaps there is to be found in Pastrana the key to something which happens in Spain more frequently than is necessary. "Past splendor overwhelms and in the end exhausts the people's will; and without force of will, as can be seen in so many cases, by being exclusively occupied with the contemplation of the glories of the past, they leave current problems unsolved.' While tourist numbers are significantly lower than many of its Spanish alternatives, visitors will be drawn to Pastrana's tranquil atmosphere, historic monuments and enduring charm. Today, Pastrana stands as a living museum, its streets echoing with stories of mystics, nobles and writers.
