500^th Birth Centenary Celebration in Avila (15^th 0ct 2015)

8,500 people participated in the Centenary Celebration 

of 

St. Teresa of Avila 

The city of Avila gathered once again to honour their Patron Saint Teresa of Jesus in the traditional way by offering flowers and participating in all the solemn celebrations. The Feast Mass was held in the entrance of the city before great wall. The whole city was colourful not only with feast celebrations also with people from all over the world.

Participants in the Solemn Holy Mass:

The Cardinal Ricardo Blazquez and the President of the Episcopal Conference of Spain, presided the Holy Mass and he also presided the similar Act held a year ago to open the Centenary, the year of Jubilee in the same place. More than 250 priests and ten bishops con-celebrated in the liturgy by starting the famous prayer of St. Teresa of Avila, “Nothing disturbs me..../ Laudate dominum...../ Nada te turbe...” was played by the brilliant musical performances of the Choir and Orchestra from Avila.

Rev. Fr. Renzo Fratini the General Superior of the Order of Carmel; Rev. Fr. Saverio Canistrà – General Superior of the Order of Discalced Carmelites; Fr. Miguel Márquez.ocd, the provincial from Spain were concelebrated along with the Bishops.

Message from the Homily

The celebrant who is the head of the Episcopal conference of Spain started his homily with following words: “Today, we give thanks to God, we conclude joyfully the centenary celebration of St. Teresa… We have been surprised by the ability of St. Teresa of Avila and we have revived the unfading message that continues to broadcast in the Church and the society…”

Great woman

“What a gift that God give us this great woman to us”, exclaimed, to affirm that “Avila has been forever ennobled with her birth, her life and her work”. “We put the Holy hand of Teresa, in our way to encounter our Lord in all the places and to renew the missionary dimension of Christian life.”

“If the communities that were started by St. Teresa, introduce the apostolic dimension in their prayer, they become more close friends with God in all the times to proclaim the Gospel.

 Solemn Procession

The image of St. Teresa was carried in the main street of the city, by the civil authorities from all the departments, police, military and various pious associations with music. People gave big ovation in every street by saying:  “The Saint” = “La Santa”.

The procession has accompanied with the presence of the thousands and thousands of people, with music group from Toledo Academy of Infantry, the city band of Avila and other bands. Finally, the procession reached the Church of St. Teresa from where they took the image on 14^th after the Solemn Evening Prayer that presided by the General Superior of the Order in the presence of local bishop and the authorities.

The whole ceremony was ended with the message as it was repeatedly mentioned in the ceremony “IT IS TIME TO WALK”. The Cardinal Blazquez said, “It is time to walk towards human as brothers and apostles as our parameters. It is time to walk to the heart of the Church, our House and home. It’s time to walk, like prodigal sons, the encounter with the father who awaits us, making party for returning, that restores us to the condition of children".

In short, “is walking time to the "year of mercy of God”.

On behalf of the Order of Carmel, the superior general gave thanks to the participants.