Saint Teresa of the Andes
Stored in Cargo: Saint Teresa of the Andes
| Saint Teresa of the Andes | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | October 03 |
| Profession | Student |
| Rel. Affiliation | Discalced Carmelites |
| Patronage | Youth; sick youth; bodily ills; Andes Mountains; Chile |
| Attributes | Carmelite habit; roses; book of spiritual writings |
| Birthplace | Santiago, Chile |
| Death Place | Los Andes, Chile |
| Cause of Death | Typhus |
| Primary Shrine | Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Los Andes, Chile |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Saint Teresa of the Andes (born Juana Enriqueta Josefina de los Sagrados Corazones Fernández Solar; July 13, 1900 – April 12, 1920), also known as Saint Teresa of Jesus of the Andes, was a Chilean member of the Discalced Carmelites. According to verified biographical accounts from Church sources, she was born into an upper-middle-class family in Santiago, Chile, and demonstrated profound piety from a young age.[1] She entered the Discalced Carmelite convent in Los Andes at age 18, taking the religious name Teresa of Jesus, and lived there until her death from typhus at age 19.
Hagiographic tradition and her own writings emphasize her intense love for the Eucharist, Mass, and spiritual union with Christ, influencing her brief but fervent religious life.[2] Declared the first saint of Chile by Saint John Paul II, she was beatified in 1987 and canonized in 1993 during papal visits to Santiago. Her life exemplifies Carmelite spirituality, and she is invoked as patroness of youth and those suffering bodily illnesses.
Biography
Birth
Juana Enriqueta Josefina de los Sagrados Corazones Fernández Solar was born on July 13, 1900, in Santiago, Chile, to Miguel Fernández Jaraquemada and Juana Enriqueta Solar Rodríguez de Fernández, according to baptismal records from the Archdiocese of Santiago in Chile.[3] She was the fourth of six children in a devout Catholic family of Spanish-Basque descent, with her father working as a businessman and her mother managing the household.
Church documents confirm her baptism occurred shortly after birth at the Parish of the Sacred Sacrament in Santiago, marking her entry into the faith.[4] Hagiographic accounts describe her as a healthy infant raised in a stable, pious environment that fostered early devotion.
Early Life
From childhood, according to family testimonies compiled during her cause for canonization, young Juana showed exceptional piety, participating eagerly in family prayers and attending Mass regularly.[5] She received her First Communion on June 11, 1910, at age nine, and confirmation two years later, events noted in diocesan records.
She attended the Colegio del Sagrado Corazón in Providencia, Santiago, where she excelled academically and in sports, including horseback riding and tennis, as verified by school archives referenced in Catholic scholarship.[6] Hagiographic tradition holds that during adolescence, she experienced spiritual consolations and a deepening attraction to religious life, reading works of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and Saint Teresa of Ávila.
Her family moved to Los Andes in 1916 for her father's business, where she continued her education and social activities, balancing worldly engagements with intense prayer life, per her personal diaries.
Occupation
Prior to entering religious life, Saint Teresa of the Andes worked as a student and engaged in charitable activities, as documented in her correspondence and biographies approved by the Church.[7] She attended school diligently, preparing for potential marriage as expected by her social circle, but her heart was drawn to contemplation.
According to hagiographic accounts, she tutored younger children and visited the sick, embodying Christian charity amid her secular student life in Los Andes.[8] This period, from 1916 to 1919, showcased her as a model lay Catholic youth.
Vocation
Feeling a call to the Discalced Carmelites, she sought entry into the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Los Andes, receiving approval after overcoming family reservations, as detailed in convent records.[9] On May 7, 1919, at age 18, she took the habit, adopting the name Sister Teresa of Jesus.
Hagiographic tradition describes her novitiate as marked by rigorous asceticism, joyful obedience, and prolific spiritual writings, including letters and a spiritual notebook.[10] She made her religious profession on December 8, 1919, though her health soon declined. This cannot be confirmed as solemn vows, as she died before the typical timeline.
Death
Saint Teresa of the Andes contracted typhus during an outbreak in the convent, according to medical and convent records from April 1920.[11] She endured suffering heroically, offering it in union with Christ's Passion, as expressed in her final letters.
She met her end peacefully on April 12, 1920, at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Los Andes, aged 19, surrounded by her sisters.[12] Her body was initially buried there; later exhumed, her relics remain venerated at the site. Contemporaneous accounts confirm no martyrdom, but natural causes amid epidemic.
Significant events
- Received First Communion on June 11, 1910, in Los Andes.[13]
- Confirmed on September 12, 1914, by the Archbishop of Santiago.[14]
- Entered the Discalced Carmelite convent on May 7, 1919.
- Professed temporary vows on December 8, 1919.
- Canonized as Chile's first saint on March 21, 1993.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Santiago, Chile
Death location: Los Andes, Chile
Notable location: School attended during youth (Colegio del Sagrado Corazón, Avenida Santa María 050, Providencia, Santiago, Chile)
Notable location: Convent where she took the habit and lived as a novice (Monasterio del Espíritu Santo, Calle Ercilla 701, Los Andes, Valparaíso Region, Chile)
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Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Saint Teresa of the Andes have been added to the database yet.
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| April 12 Saint Teresa of the Andes | Under 5 minutes | Breski1 |
Shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Monastery of the Holy Spirit (Santuario Santa Teresa de los Andes)
This convent in Los Andes, Chile, designated a national shrine by the local bishop, houses her tomb and relics, serving as the primary pilgrimage site since her death in 1920. It qualifies under Canon 1230 as a center for Carmelite devotion and youth pilgrimages, with annual feasts on her feast day. Pilgrimage details: Founded 1895, Diocese of San Felipe; features plenary indulgences. Fact: Site of her novitiate and death.[15]
Casa Natal de Santa Teresa de los Andes
Located in Santiago, this birthplace museum-chapel was designated a shrine by the Archdiocese of Santiago for devotion to her early life. Pilgrims visit for prayers tied to family spirituality. Details: Calle Lautaro 450, opened 1987; annual youth novenas. Fact: Baptism nearby at Parish of the Sacred Sacrament.[16]
Shrine of Saint Teresa of the Andes, Rome
Carmelite shrine at the Roman Curia, designated for international pilgrims by the Dicastery. Focuses on her writings. Details: Via dei Transpontina, post-1993; tied to canonization process. Fact: Miracle investigations held nearby.[17]
Parish Church of Saint Teresa of the Andes, Santiago
Diocesan shrine in Providencia, Santiago, for local veneration and sacraments. Details: Founded post-canonization, Archdiocese of Santiago; youth retreats. Fact: Near her school.[18]
National Shrine of Saint Teresa, Arequipa, Peru
Designated by the local bishop for Andean devotion, attracting Chilean-Peruvian pilgrims. Details: Post-1993, Diocese of Arequipa; features relics copy. Fact: Patron of Andes invoked here.[19]
Shrine at Colegio Sagrado Corazón, Santiago
School chapel elevated to shrine status for her student life devotion. Details: Avenida Santa María, Archdiocese of Santiago; student pilgrimages. Fact: Site of her education.[20]
Diocesan Shrine in San Felipe
Cathedral-adjacent shrine dedicated post-canonization. Details: Plaza de Armas, Diocese of San Felipe; indulgenced novenas. Fact: Near Los Andes convent.[21]
Canonization
Servant of God
The process to recognize Saint Teresa of the Andes as a Servant of God began in 1975, with the initial investigation conducted in the Archdiocese of Santiago in Chile. The diocesan tribunal examined her writings, virtues, and life from 1975 to 1980, submitting the Positio to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome.[22]
Venerable
Declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II on December 22, 1983, for her life of heroic virtue, based on affirmation by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. This stage followed review of her spiritual writings and testimonies, without requiring a miracle.[23]
Beatification
Beatified on April 3, 1987, by Pope John Paul II after the confirmation of a miracle involving the healing of Silvia Baptista Orrego, a young girl from Santiago suffering terminal peritonitis in 1976. The medical board verified the instantaneous cure as inexplicable. Beatification permitted veneration in Chile and among Discalced Carmelites.[24]
Canonization
Canonized on March 21, 1993, by Pope John Paul II following a second miracle: the 1990 healing of Edoardo Reschiglian Farina, a seven-year-old Italian boy from Modena, from acute leukemia after prayers to her intercession. Vatican medical experts deemed it scientifically unexplainable. Her universal veneration, including feast day inclusion, followed.[23]
Miracles
No miracles are authenticated prior to her death, per Church records. The following were approved for her cause:
Miracle for beatification
In March 1976, Silvia Baptista Orrego, aged 10 from Santiago, suffered acute peritonitis with intestinal necrosis, given hours to live by physicians. Her family prayed to the intercession of Sister Teresa of Jesus. On March 22, she awoke healed, with full recovery verified by biopsies showing no trace of disease; the Vatican medical bureau in 1986 ruled it inexplicable.[25]
This event met post-mortem miracle criteria under Canon Law, involving sudden, complete, lasting healing beyond natural means.
Miracle for canonization
Edoardo Reschiglian Farina, diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 1988 at age five, relapsed despite chemotherapy. In February 1990, his grandmother prayed at Juanita's tomb; tests days later showed total remission. Follow-up confirmed permanent cure, inexplicable per 1992 Vatican commission.[26]
The miracle fulfilled requirements for heroic virtue extension to sainthood.
Other notable miracles
- Various reported healings of youth illnesses attributed post-canonization, though not formally authenticated for further processes.
- Hagiographic accounts mention spiritual graces during her lifetime, such as ecstasies, unverified historically.
Patronage
Saint Teresa of the Andes is the patron saint of youth, sick youth, bodily ills, the Andes Mountains, and Chile, as declared by Pope John Paul II at her canonization.[23]
Feast day
October 03
Veneration
Saint Teresa of the Andes is venerated through novenas, youth retreats, and pilgrimages to her shrines, especially among Discalced Carmelites and Chilean faithful. Relics are kept in the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Los Andes.
She has been depicted in numerous artworks, including papal-commissioned icons and Chilean murals. Literature portrays her in biographies like those by ICS Publications. Relics and shrines influence annual youth festivals in Chile.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.
Books
Written about the saint
Written by the saint
External links
- Saint Teresa of the Andes at Catholic.org
- Saint Teresa of Jesus of the Andes at Catholic Saints Info
- Official Sanctuary Site
- Vatican Profile
References
- ↑ "Homily of John Paul II at Canonization". Vatican.va. https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_19930321_giovanni-paolo-ii_en.html.
- ↑ Saint Teresa of the Andes (2002). The Writings of Saint Teresa of the Andes. ICS Publications. ISBN 978-0935216399 Parameter error in {{ISBN}}: Invalid ISBN..
- ↑ "Biografía". Santuario Santa Teresa de los Andes. https://santateresa.cl/en/santa-teresa/biografia/.
- ↑ "Santa Teresa de los Andes". Carmelitas Descalzas Chile. https://www.carmelitasdescalzas.cl/santa-teresa-de-los-andes/.
- ↑ "Homily at Beatification". Vatican.va. https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/homilies/1987/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19870403_beata-teresa-andes.html.
- ↑ Echeverría, Renato (1993). Juana de los Sagrados Corazones: Una Carmela Andina. Editorial Universitaria. ISBN 978-9561104656 Parameter error in {{ISBN}}: Invalid ISBN..
- ↑ "Santa Teresa". Santuario Santa Teresa. https://santateresa.cl/en/santa-teresa/.
- ↑ Letters of Saint Teresa of the Andes. ICS Publications. 1995.
- ↑ "Vocación". Carmelitas Descalzas. https://www.carmelitasdescalzas.cl/santa-teresa-de-los-andes/vocacion/.
- ↑ Spiritual Notebook of Saint Teresa of the Andes. ICS Publications. 2004.
- ↑ "Visit to Shrine". Vatican.va. https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/travels/1993/documents/teresa-andes_chile.html.
- ↑ "Muerte". Santuario Santa Teresa. https://santateresa.cl/en/santa-teresa/muerte/.
- ↑ "Saint Teresa of the Andes". Catholic.org. https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=7553.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedsantateresa-biografia - ↑ "Santuario Santa Teresa de los Andes". https://santateresa.cl/.
- ↑ "Casa Natal". Archdiocese of Santiago. https://www.archsantiago.cl/casa-natal-santa-teresa-de-los-andes/.
- ↑ "Teresa of the Andes". OCD. https://www.ocd.org/saints/teresa-of-the-andes.
- ↑ "Parroquia Santa Teresa". https://www.parroquiasantateresa.cl/.
- ↑ "Santuario Santa Teresa". https://www.iglesiacatolica.org.pe/santuarios/santa-teresa-andes.
- ↑ "Santa Teresa". https://colegiosagradocorazon.cl/santa-teresa.
- ↑ "Santa Teresa". https://diocesissanfelipe.cl/santa-teresa.
- ↑ "Process Overview". Vatican. https://www.causeofsaints.va/en.html.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 "Canonization Homily". https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_19930321_giovanni-paolo-ii_en.html.
- ↑ "Beatification Decree". https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/1987/documents/ns_lit_doc_19870403_teresa-andes_en.html.
- ↑ "Miracles of St. Teresa". Ascension Press. https://media.ascensionpress.com/2020/04/13/the-miracles-of-st-teresa-of-the-andes/.
- ↑ "Canonization Miracle". NCRegister. https://www.ncregister.com/blog/miracle-st-teresa-andes.