''Teresa de Jesús'' is a Spanish television mini-series produced by
Televisión Española
(acronym TVE, branded tve, "Spanish Television") is Spain's national state-owned public television broadcaster and the oldest regular television service in the country. It was also the first regular television service in Equatorial Guinea.
T ...
Concha Velasco
Concepción Velasco Varona (29 November 1939 – 2 December 2023), known professionally as Concha Velasco, also Conchita Velasco, was a Spanish actress, singer, dancer, television presenter, and theatrical producer. She received numerous accolad ...
as
Teresa of Avila
Teresa (also Theresa, Therese; ) is a feminine given name.
It originates in the Iberian Peninsula in late antiquity. Its derivation is uncertain, it may be derived from Greek θερίζω (''therízō'') "to harvest or reap", or from θέ ...
.
The 450 minutes eight episodes mini-series was also released as a 222 minutes feature film. It also exists a four episodes shortened version.
Premise
It presents the life of
Teresa of Avila
Teresa (also Theresa, Therese; ) is a feminine given name.
It originates in the Iberian Peninsula in late antiquity. Its derivation is uncertain, it may be derived from Greek θερίζω (''therízō'') "to harvest or reap", or from θέ ...
, a
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas
**Spanish cuisine
**Spanish history
**Spanish culture
...
saint
In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...
doctor
Doctor, Doctors, The Doctor or The Doctors may refer to:
Titles and occupations
* Physician, a medical practitioner
* Doctor (title), an academic title for the holder of a doctoral-level degree
** Doctorate
** List of doctoral degrees awarded b ...
of the Roman Catholic Church, (Spanish version of announcement) who was at one time proclaimed "patron saint of the Spanish race" by the Spanish government, and has been proposed on multiple occasions since her death to be an official
patron saint
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...
of
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
. Its dialogue is in Spanish, but versions with English subtitles are available.Amazon DVD listing product description (accessed 1 May 2011) The film stars
Concha Velasco
Concepción Velasco Varona (29 November 1939 – 2 December 2023), known professionally as Concha Velasco, also Conchita Velasco, was a Spanish actress, singer, dancer, television presenter, and theatrical producer. She received numerous accolad ...
as Teresa. Also appearing are Gonzalo Abril as Lorenzo de Cepeda (Teresa's younger brother, 2/8 episodes), María Massip as Juana Suárez (Teresa's friend, 2/8 episodes),
Francisco Rabal
Francisco Rabal Valera (8 March 1926 – 29 August 2001), popularly known as Paco Rabal, was a Spanish actor. His career spanned more than 200 film and television roles, between 1942 and 2001. He received numerous accolades both in Spain and abro ...
Héctor Alterio
Héctor Benjamín Alterio Onorato (born 21 September 1929) is an Argentine theatre, film and television actor, well known both in Argentina and Spain.
Biography
Héctor Benjamín Alterio Onorato was born in Chacarita, Buenos Aires, Chacarita, ...
(1 episode), and Marina Saura as another nun (8 episodes). It tells the story of Teresa's life from age 23 (in the year 1538) until her death at age 67 (in 1582).
Synopsis
''Teresa de Jesús'' was originally broadcast from 12 March to 30 April 1984, in the following 8 episodes:Episodes at IMDB for "Teresa de Jesús" (1984) /ref>
*Episode 1 (12 Mar): Vida. Teresa is age 23, ill, and travelling to see a local healer. Along the way she is introduced to Francisco de Osuna's book, '' The Third Spiritual Alphabet'', which kindles her spiritual interest. She does not respond to treatment, but meets and helps a troubled local priest.DVD booklet, section entitled "About the Film".
*Episode 2 (19 Mar): Camino de perfección. Teresa's illness continues for 3 years and she experiences a coma for 3 days, but benefits from a miraculous cure she attributes to St. Joseph. She experiences spiritual aridity, but is inspired by reading St. Augustine's '' Confessions''. She experiences mystical visions that provoke distrust and opposition from fellow nuns and priests.
*Episode 3 (26 Mar): Cuentas de conciencia. Further mystical visions, and continued opposition. She meets her spiritual guide Peter of Alcantara, and first contemplates the idea of a reform movement within her order, the
Carmelites
The Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (; abbreviated OCarm), known as the Carmelites or sometimes by synecdoche known simply as Carmel, is a mendicant order in the Catholic Church for both men and women. Histo ...
.
*Episode 4 (2 Apr): Desafío espiritual. Founding of the first
reformed
Reform is beneficial change.
Reform, reformed or reforming may also refer to:
Media
* ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang
* Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group
* ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine
Places
* Reform, Al ...
convent, in
Ávila
Ávila ( , , ) is a Spanish city located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Ávila.
It lies on the right bank of the Adaja river. Located more than 1,130 m a ...
, despite strong opposition from the neighborhood residents. First experiences in living by the new
rule
Rule or ruling may refer to:
Human activity
* The exercise of political or personal control by someone with authority or power
* Business rule, a rule pertaining to the structure or behavior internal to a business
* School rule, a rule th ...
.
*Episode 5 (9 Apr): Fundaciones. Founding of several more reformed convents. Teresa meets a young man who joins her order in its first monastery. He was later to become St. John of the Cross.
*Episode 6 (16 Apr): Visita de descalzas. Teresa is appointed against her wishes as prioress of her original (unreformed) convent, and she continues visiting and managing challenges of the newly founded reformed houses. She meets her confessor Father Jerónimo Gracián,See Jerónimo Gracián at Spanish Wikipedia and is denounced to the Inquisition by Princess Eboli, a noblewoman whose unreasonable demands Teresa had resisted.
*Episode 7 (23 Apr): Las moradas. Conflicts come to a head between reformed (
Discalced
A discalced (/dɪsˈkælst/, ''dis-KALST'') religious order is one whose members go barefoot or wear sandals. These orders are often distinguished on this account from other branches of the same order. The custom of going unshod was introduced int ...
) and unreformed (Calced) orders. St. John of the Cross is imprisoned and tortured by monks of the unreformed order. Eventually, The Pope approves autonomous status for the reformed orders, shielding them from interference from the unreformed.
*Episode 8 (30 Apr): Hija de la Iglesia. Teresa's final illness, last wishes, and passing away. An epilogue about the reported
incorruptibility
Incorruptibility is a Catholic and Orthodox belief that divine intervention allows some human bodies (specifically saints and beati) to completely or partially avoid the normal process of decomposition after death as a sign of their holiness.
I ...
of her remains, and her wider posthumous recognition, including her
canonization
Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christianity, Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon ca ...
.
In 2008, the film was released in the US as a 3-disc DVD set with English subtitles.''St. Teresa of Avila eresa de Jesus' Ignatius Press , , . Includes a 16-page booklet with same title. It included a 16-page booklet with episode summaries, Teresa's biography (4-pages) and timeline (1 page), a set of 9 discussion questions, an interview with historian Thomas Dubay, and a bibliography for further reading.DVD booklet.
Awards
''Teresa de Jesús'' won several awards:Awards at IMDB for "Teresa de Jesús" (1984) /ref>
*Antena de Oro (1984)
*Fotogramas de Plata (1985), Best TV Performer (Mejor intérprete de televisión): Concha Velasco
*TP de Oro (1985), Best Actress (Mejor Actriz): Concha Velasco
*TP de Oro (1985), Best National Series (Mejor Serie Nacional)
RTVE Play
RTVE Play (often stylized as rtve play) is the over-the-top media service provided by the Spanish public broadcaster RTVE. It was launched in Spain on 22 June 2021, replacing the old catalogue 'RTVE a la carta', created in turn in 2008.
History ...