Early History

When Teresa was seven years old, she ran away with her brother so that the Moors might cut off her head. An uncle found the would-be martyrs not far from home and returned them to their mother. The children did not thank him - they considered him a meddler who had ruined their plans. This childish single-mindedness matured, and with it grew the fortitude and love that made Teresa of Avila one of the most revered women of all time. The chivalrous spirit of Teresa's youth remained with her all her life but it was tempered by intelligence and successfully channeled by grace.

Teresa was born in Avila, Spain, in 1515. Her father was Alonso Sanchez de Cepeda, and her mother was Beatriz de Ahumada-good parents who reared their own nine children and the three children of Alonso's first wife in the spirit of Christianity. From the time she was a small girl, Teresa was considered charming, intelligent, lovely, and endowed with a lively sense of humor. Teresa, at thirteen, presents a most familiar and lovable picture. She was a wonderful combination of practicality and idealism. Occasionally, either quality would get out of hand. Teresa liked to read romantic novels, charm the young men who flocked about her, and chatter with her friends.

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