Saint Teresa of Avila

Teresa of Avila and the Child Jesus

Teresa of Avila had such a great love for the Child Jesus that one day, as she was preparing to ascend stairs leading to the upper rooms of the convent, she met a beautiful Child. 

He asked her, "Who are you?" 

She replied, "I am Teresa of Jesus, and who are you?" 

To which The Child responded, "I am Jesus of Teresa." 

We have brought pilgrims to the Convent of the Incarnation and the stairway where this came about and all I can say is that there is such a feeling of His Presence at this spot, you have to tear yourself away, or you will never leave.

They say that encounter with her Lord, as a Child, affected her so deeply, after that, when Saint Teresa set out to found a new house (she founded eighteen in all), she always brought a statue of the Child Jesus with her. 

One of the first things Saint Teresa of Avila did, before moving her Sisters into a new house, she was founding, was to set up a place suitable and safe for her Lord Jesus, truly Present in the Eucharist and decorate a chapel in the Child Jesus' honor, placing a statue of the Child Jesus lovingly in the newly founded house. 

That all set, before departing to found another, Teresa of Avila left the little statue there, so that the Carmelite Sisters would be able to love and venerate Our Lord truly Present, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist and as the Child Jesus in His first twelve years, as King and Ruler of their house and hearts. 

Each Santo Niño was dressed uniquely individual, different from the statues in the other houses she had founded. 

And the Carmelite Nuns in each of Teresa's houses gave their statue a name, distinctly different from the others. 

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