Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) was a Spanish nun and a great reformer of Carmel. She entered the convent at a young age and sought to restore a more austere and fervent monastic life, founding the order of the Discalced Carmelites. A mystic and writer, she had many visions and spiritual experiences, which she described in her works, such as "The Interior Castle" and "The Way of Perfection". Her influence extended throughout Europe, particularly in Lorraine, where her order developed. She was canonized in 1622 and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1970, a first for a woman. She is the patron saint of writers and mystics.
