Sculpture Of St. Teresa Of Avila In A Niche On A Side Wall Of The Church Of St. Mary Of Graces In Varenna, Italy. Editorial Photo

Pictured is a sculpture of St. Teresa of Avila in a niche on a side wall of the Church of St. Mary of Graces on the central square of Varenna on Lake Como in the province of Lecco in the Italian region of Lombardy. Saint Teresa was born in 1515 and died in 1582. She is the founder of the Discalced Carmelites. In 1970 she was declared a Doctor of the Church for her writing and teaching on prayer, one of two women to be honored in this way. The little church was originally dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene and St. Anthony of Padua when it was inaugurated on September 8th, 1685. In 1896, the oratory of Villa Monastero was moved there and the the church was restored and took the title Church of Saint Mary of Graces.