The body of Saint Teresa of Jesus remains intact after 442 years: her tomb was opened

The body of Saint Teresa of Jesus remains incorrupt 442 years after her death on October 4, 1582This was confirmed by the Diocese of Ávila, in Spain, after the nun’s tomb was opened.

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On August 28, the tomb was uncovered in the Monastery of the Discalced Carmelites of Alba de Tormes, in Salamanca, in order to analyze the state of the saint’s remains and her relics.

What was found in the tomb of Saint Teresa of Jesus?

What has shocked and moved many is that, according to Catholic authorities, the body of Saint Teresa of Jesus – also known as Saint Teresa of Avila – is incorrupt, that is, without modifications, just as it was found in the last opening carried out in 1914.

“The tomb has been opened for the first time in 110 years to study its state of conservation,” explained Marco Chiesa, postulator general of the Discalced Carmelite Order, who led the process.

He said that the procedure for opening the tomb was solemn and very meticulous. Initially, the community of Discalced Carmelite Mothers and some priests moved the reliquaries to the place designated for study, while singing the hymn ‘Te Deum’.

The marble slab covering the silver tomb where the mystic’s remains rest was immediately removed. Already in the work room, with the presence of a scientific medical team and members of the ecclesiastical court, the tomb was opened using several keys, Blu Radio revealed.

Sources confirmed that the inspection was not only focused on the body of Saint Teresa of Jesus, but also in the analysis of its most venerated relics: the heart, the arm and the hand.

The study of the remains of this saint was carried out with state-of-the-art equipment that allowed a detailed inspection without causing damage. The results of these analyses will be announced later.

Who was Saint Teresa of Jesus?

She was a nun, founder of the Order of Discalced Carmelites and a Spanish writer. She was canonized in 1614 and was proclaimed a doctor of the Catholic church in 1970 by Pope Paul VI.