The recently opened tomb of St. Teresa of Jesus, also known as St. Teresa of Avila, has revealed a remarkably preserved body of the 16th-century Catholic saint, who died in 1582, Fox News reports.
The body has not decomposed, despite being interred for over four centuries, according to the report.
The Diocese of Avila, located in Spain, announced the opening of the tomb last month in an August 28th press release. The tomb, last opened in 1914, contains most of St. Teresa’s remains, which the diocese reports have “remained incorrupt since 1582.”
The tomb opening was part of a research project to study relics of St. Teresa’s heart, hand, and arm. Fr. Miguel Ángel González, who oversaw the process, described the experience as “heart full of emotion” and detailed the complexity of accessing the saint’s silver urn, which involved removing a marble slab and opening the tomb in the presence of a scientific medical team and the ecclesiastical court.
Fr. Marco Chiesa, who is leading the research project, revealed that the saint’s remains have been preserved remarkably well. Comparing photographs from the 1914 opening to the current condition, he stated that the uncovered portions, including the face and foot, are “the same” as they were over a century ago.
“The uncovered parts, which are the face and foot, are the same as those they were in 1914,” Chiesa explained in the press release. “There is no color, there is no skin color, because the skin is mummified, but it is seen, especially in the middle of the face.”
The research has already shed light on St. Teresa’s health conditions before her death.
“We know that the last few years were difficult for her to walk, in the pains she herself describes,” Chiesa said. “Sometimes, looking at a body, you discover more than the person had [spoken about].”
Analysis of the foot relic revealed “calcareous spines that make walking almost impossible.” Despite this condition, St. Teresa continued to travel and minister until her death.
While the analysis of St. Teresa’s remains is in its early stages, Chiesa expects the research project to provide valuable insights into the preservation of relics.