Ana de San Bartolome (1549 1626), a contemporary and close associate of St. Teresa of Avila, typifies the curious blend of religious activism and spiritual forcefulness that characterized the first generation of Discalced, or reformed Carmelites. Known for their austerity and ethics, their convents quickly spread throughout Spain and, under Ana s guidance, also to France and the Low Countries. Constantly embroiled in disputes with her male superiors, Ana quickly became the most vocal and visible of these mystical women and the most fearless of the guardians of the Carmelite Constitution,...
Ana de San Bartolome (1549 1626), a contemporary and close associate of St. Teresa of Avila, typifies the curious blend of religious activism and spir...