Blessed Anne
The Faithful Daughter of Carmel and Confidante of St. Teresa of Avila
"Elegit infirma mundi Deus, ut confundat fortia."
(God chose the weak of the world to confound the strong. - 1 Cor 1:27)
Born a humble shepherdess in the Spanish village of Almendral, Ana Garc a Manzanas was chosen by Divine Providence to become a towering pillar of the Discalced Carmelite Reform. Entering the Carmel of St. Joseph in Avila as its very first lay sister, Blessed Anne of St. Bartholomew was soon drawn into the inmost spiritual counsels of the great Foundress, St. Teresa of Jesus. For years, she served as the holy Mother's indispensable companion, secretary, and infirmarian, ultimately holding the dying saint in her arms on that fateful October night in 1582.
Yet, Blessed Anne's earthly mission had only just begun. Compelled by holy obedience to become a choir nun and prioress, she carried the flaming torch of the strict Teresian observance across the Pyrenees into France, and eventually to Flanders. In an era fraught with the turmoil of heresy and the machinations of the world, she remained fiercely steadfast, defending the unmitigated, primitive Rule of Carmel against every earthly pressure. A mystic of the highest order, her seraphic prayers and intercession were so powerful that she miraculously delivered the city of Antwerp from the sieges of Calvinist forces, earning the undying devotion of the Catholic faithful.
With the plainness of her humble origins and the clarity of a dedicated contemplative, this autobiography stands as an authentic primary source of Carmelite history. It offers an edifying portrait, demonstrating the profound fidelity, unyielding obedience, and silent prayer required of those who walk the way of perfection. It presents the portrait of a soul entirely consumed by the love of her Divine Spouse.
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