A perfectly preserved saint who died nearly 500 years ago is being hailed as one of “God’s miracles.”
St Teresa of Avila, who died in 1582, was exhumed from a church in Spain last month, leaving experts stunned to discover she had not decomposed.
The team compared images of the remains taken in 1914 with those of her today, and found her face was still “clearly visible” and the remains were “incorrupt.”
The marble-clad silver coffin was opened to study St. Teresa’s remains and understand the health conditions that plagued her during her life.
The diocese of Avila in Spain has opened the tomb of a medieval saint to carry out an analysis of the 450-year-old remains. Pictured: the marble-clad silver coffin of St Teresa of Avila
Saint Teresa of Avila, who died in 1582, is the patron saint of chess players, lace makers, those who have lost their parents, people in need of grace, people belonging to religious orders, people ridiculed for their piety, and the sick.
The body of Saint Teresa was exhumed by Marco Chiesa, Postulator General of the Order, in the Diocese of Ávila, Spain, on August 28.
Church officials shared the news on social media, where Catholics said: ‘His body is still incorrupt. Seek God. miracles.’
Upon opening the tomb, a team of doctors compared photographs of St Teresa’s face and foot taken in 1914, and the postulator said it was “difficult to make a comparison” because the images are in black and white.
They have not released images of the saint from 1914 or last month, but said they plan to share them eventually.
Chiesa explained that “there is no color, there is no skin color, because the skin is mummified, but you can see it, especially in the center of the face. You can see it well. The medical experts can see Teresa’s face almost clearly.”
Saint Teresa is the patron saint of chess players, lace makers, those who have lost their parents, people in need of grace, people in religious orders, people ridiculed for their piety, and the sick.
She was a Spanish nun and became the first woman to be elevated to Doctor of the Church in 1970, an honor bestowed on deceased saints for their important contribution to Church doctrine.
Saint Teresa was canonized, that is, declared a saint, in March 1622.
Ten keys are needed to access St. Teresa’s coffin and protect her remains from unauthorized access. Pictured: The silver-clad coffin of St. Teresa of Avila
The remains of St Teresa were moved to a closed room where experts can analyse her DNA and understand how to best preserve the relics in the future. Pictured: The marble-clad silver coffin of St Teresa of Avila
Since his body was last exhumed, it has been described as “incorrupt,” meaning it has not gone through the normal process of decomposition after death.
Researchers want to discover how St. Teresa’s body has not yet deteriorated and hope it could provide insight into how to preserve relics in the future.
Chiesa confirmed that they are still in the early stages of analyzing St. Teresa’s body and added that it is too early to reveal details about further examinations.
The Diocese has taken strict measures to protect the saint’s remains, including requiring a total of 10 keys to access her coffin.
Three of the keys are in the possession of the Duke of Alba, another three are owned by the city of Alba de Tormes and the Discalced Carmelite Father General in Rome has another three.
The tenth key, known as the King’s Key, is also needed to access the remains of Saint Teresa: three are needed to open the outer door, three to open the tomb, and four to open the coffin.
The team has not released photographs of St Teresa’s remains, saying only that they have remained undisturbed since her body was last exhumed in 1914. Pictured: The marble-clad silver coffin of St Teresa of Avila.
It is expected to take several months before doctors and scientists receive the results of their analyses from a laboratory in Italy. Pictured: The silver coffin covered in marble of St Teresa of Avila
His remains were taken to a closed room where a team of doctors and scientists will perform visual examinations and take photographs and X-rays of the remains.
The samples will be sent to a laboratory in Italy and it is expected to take several months before the data can be collected and released to the public.
“The Order considers it appropriate to carry out this work and it will be the specialists who, after their exhaustive work, will give us the conclusions,” said Chiesa.
‘We know from similar studies that we will be able to discover interesting facts about Teresa and also recommendations for the conservation of the relics, but that will be at another stage.’
While studying his body, experts also observed a health condition called calcareous spines on his feet, which they said were indicative of his religious commitment.
Calcareous spines are sharp bones reminiscent of the endoskeletons found in starfish and sea urchins.
Saint Teresa also suffered from convulsions, stomach problems, dizziness and loss of consciousness.
She defended her mystical experiences in her memoirs where she linked her symptoms to having a connection with God.
“We know that the last few years were difficult for her to walk, with the pain that she herself describes,” Chiesa explained, adding: “Sometimes, looking at a body, you discover more than the person had.
‘Analyzing the foot in Rome, we saw the presence of calcareous spines that made it almost impossible for her to walk. But she walked to Alba de Tormes and then died.’
In 1582, when Saint Teresa was about 67 years old and ill, she left for Alba de Tormes to visit an old friend with Anne of St. Bartholomew.
Chiesa said that despite her affliction, St. Teresa’s desire was to “continue and go forward, despite physical defects.”
While on the road, she felt exhausted and seriously ill and three days after St. Teresa and her companion arrived at the local convent, she told Anne: “At last, my daughter, I have arrived at the house of death.”
St. Teresa’s coffin was last opened in 1914 after Father Clemente de los Santos, superior general of the Discalced Carmelites at the time, said he wanted to see the bodies of the founding saints during his visit to Spain.
At the time, the Diocese of Ávila stated that the body was “totally incorrupt”, just as it was when it was first opened in 1750.