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 Saint Teresa of the Andes 100th Anniversary of the Death Scott 1741 (2020) In 2020, Vatican City issued the stamp illustrated above commemorating the centenary of the death of Saint Teresa of Jesus of Los Andes. July 13 serves as her feast day, as celebrated by her religious order, the Discalced Carmelites. Saint Teresa of the Andes, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus of the Andes, was born on July 13, 1900 in Santiago, Chile. "Juanita", as she was called by her family, was a pious child but had an unpredictable temperament: she could be prone to anger and vanity but could also demonstrate a charitable and loving nature. She seemed to undergo a transformation at age 10 and was strongly influenced by reading the autobiography of Saint Terese of Lisieux, the "Little Flower". At this point she decided to become a nun and made a vow to dedicate herself to the service of God. In May of 1919, she entered the novitiate of the Discalced Carmelites in Los Andes and was given the new religious name of "Teresa of Jesus". She received her religious habit in October and began an apostolate of letter-writing in which she shared her thoughts on the spiritual life with others. However, like Saint Terese of Lisieux, her life was cut short. In early 1920, she contracted typhus (although some have speculated it was the Spanish Flu, which was rampant in Chile at that time). Although not yet 20 years old and still six months short of completing her canonical novitiate, she was allowed to profess her vows "facing death" on April 7, 1920. Sister Teresa died on April 12, 1920. During her short time in the convent, Teresa exemplified the joy of living in a community completely devoted to God, and she focused her days on prayer and sacrifice. “I am God’s,” she wrote in her diary. “He created me and is my beginning and my end.” This devotion spread among her community and her letters reinforced the beauty of her spiritual life. Saint Teresa, appropriately called the "Flower of the Andes,” remains popular today. An estimated 100,000 pilgrims visit her shrine in Los Andes each year. The shrine's most prominent landmark is a huge prayer wall covered with intercessions to her. A photo of the prayer wall can be viewed by clicking on the link for the Franciscan Media "Saint of the Day" article in the reference section below. She was canonized as Chile's first saint in 1993 by Pope John Paul II. REFERENCENS: |
