Teresa

In the Christian tradition

Multiple major Teresas have shaped Catholic and broader Christian tradition. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) is the Spanish Carmelite mystic and Doctor of the Church, the author of The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection. Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), founder of the Missionaries of Charity, was canonized in 2016. The Catholic calendar honors Teresa of Avila on October 15 and Teresa of Calcutta on September 5.

Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) is the Carmelite reformer whose Interior Castle, Way of Perfection, and autobiographical Life are among the principal works of Catholic mystical literature. She founded the Discalced Carmelite reform and (with John of the Cross) reformed the Carmelite men's tradition as well. Declared a Doctor of the Church in 1970, the first woman to be so designated. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa, 1910-1997) is the Albanian-born sister who founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1948 to serve the poorest of the poor in Calcutta and elsewhere; canonized by Pope Francis in 2016. The name Teresa has been in continuous Christian use, particularly in Catholic and Spanish-speaking families. The distinct French form Therese (used by Therese of Lisieux) is its own entry.