For centuries, the faithful have venerated St. Teresa of Ávila as a mystic, reformer, and Doctor of the Church. Now, thanks to modern forensic science, the world can behold a scientifically reconstructed image of her face as she would have appeared at age 50. The reconstruction was recently presented in Alba de Tormes, Spain—the town where St. Teresa passed away and where her relics remain.
The Process Behind the Reconstruction
The project was led by Professor Ruggero D’Anastasio of D’Annunzio University in Chieti-Pescara, Italy, with forensic work conducted by Professor Jennifer Mann, a specialist at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine at Monash University in Australia. According to the Iberian Province of the Discalced Carmelites, Mann explained that her study was based on multiple sources, including “a portrait by Friar Juan de la Miseria and a detailed description of St. Teresa written by Mother Mary of St. Joseph, who lived with the saint.”
The forensic team reconstructed the saint’s face using a combination of methodologies from the United States and the United Kingdom. Clay was used to model the skull structure, correctly positioning the jaw and reconstructing missing teeth. Soft tissues such as the nose, lips, and eyes were estimated using scientific formulas. “With the consent of the father postulator general of the Discalced Carmelites, I sculpted St. Teresa of Jesus at around the age of 50, reflecting her plump appearance, as described by Mother Mary of St. Joseph,” Mann stated.
A Face of Holiness and Suffering
The reconstruction coincided with a canonical recognition of St. Teresa’s tomb, which was authorized by the Vatican last August. Incredibly, scientific research into her relics has shown that her remains are in an “extraordinary state of preservation.” According to anthropologist Luigi Capasso, the saint’s scalp is still intact with “many traces of brown hair,” and even one of her eyes remains with “the dark iris” visible.
Additionally, the study found that St. Teresa suffered from various health conditions. She had osteoporosis, severe dental caries, and knee osteoarthritis. She also had an anterior curvature of the neck and trunk, which caused her to lean forward and made it difficult for her head to rest on a pillow. Despite these physical ailments, the researchers noted that “the relaxed facial muscles still convey the sense of serenity with which the saint shows she faced the moment of her death.”
A Saint at the Height of Her Mission
The reconstruction represents St. Teresa as she appeared in 1565, the year she turned 50. At this time, she had already founded the first reformed Carmelite convent of St. Joseph in Ávila, a major step in her mission to restore the Carmelite order to its original spirit of prayer and austerity. In her spiritual classic The Interior Castle, she described the mystical journey of the soul through various “mansions” of prayer, a process she herself was experiencing deeply during this period.
The unveiling of St. Teresa’s face is more than just a scientific achievement—it is a profound moment for Catholics worldwide. It allows the faithful to connect more deeply with a saint whose writings and spiritual legacy continue to inspire countless souls in their journey toward holiness. As Mann noted, “This sculpture may be the most accurate representation of what St. Teresa of Jesus really looked like during her lifetime.”
The face of St. Teresa of Ávila, shaped by faith, suffering, and divine grace, now gazes upon the world once more, reminding us all of the call to holiness and perseverance in the spiritual life.
