Ecstasy of St. Teresa, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, 1647-52. Cornaro Chapel, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome, Italy.
Questions
-How do you feel looking at this sculpture?
-What do you think is being depicted here?
-Do you think this sculpture belongs in a church?
-What do you know about St. Teresa of Avila?
Reflection
I will be the first to admit that St. Teresa of Avila scares me a little bit. Just beginning her great work "The Interior Castle" makes me realize my own littleness, brokenness and sinfulness. If God is in the middle of the castle, I feel miles outside of the castle doors, glancing at it from the next mountain over. St. Teresa was such a holy woman and experienced the Lord so intensely that it makes it seem like I will never be like her. But that is her message - that we can all contemplate God and be unified with Him if we allow Him into our lives.
This sculpture by Bernini is quite provocative. But this is not just a figment of the imagination or forcing ideas upon the saint. This statue is depicting a mystical union with Christ that she experienced during one of her mystical visions of Christ. Mysticism is highly misunderstand and seems very foreign to us. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says this:
“Spiritual progress tends toward ever more intimate union with Christ. This union is called ‘mystical’ because it participates in the mystery of Christ through the sacraments — ‘the holy mysteries’ — and, in him, in the mystery of the Holy Trinity. God calls us all to this intimate union with him, even if the special graces or extraordinary signs of this mystical life are granted only to some for the sake of manifesting the gratuitous gift given to all” (CCC 2014).
As a mystic, St. Teresa often heard or saw visions of God. During the moment sculpted here, she was experiencing the piercing of her heart as a spiritual espousal to Christ. This union was a transformation of her soul to be fully united with God's. Her whole life - all her suffering, joy, pain, hardship, happiness, hopes, dreams are all now intimately linked and given to her divine Spouse. We are lucky enough to have an autobiography of St. Teresa's life and this exact mystical vision of God. She described it this way:
“I saw an angel close by me, on my left side, in bodily form….He was not large, but small of stature, and most beautiful—his face burning, as if he were one of the highest angels, who seem to be all of fire: they must be those whom we call cherubim. Their names they never tell me; but I see very well that there is in heaven so great a difference between one angel and another, and between these and the others, that I cannot explain it. I saw in his hand a long spear of gold, and at the iron’s point there seemed to be a little fire. He appeared to me to be thrusting it at times into my heart, and to pierce my very entrails; when he drew it out, he seemed to draw them out also, and to leave me all on fire with a great love of God. The pain was so great, that it made me moan; and yet so surpassing was the sweetness of this excessive pain, that I could not wish to be rid of it. The soul is satisfied now with nothing less than God. The pain is not bodily, but spiritual; though the body has its share in it, even a large one. It is a caressing of love so sweet which now takes place between the soul and God, that I pray God of His goodness to make him experience it who may think that I am lying.”
The angel looks so glad to be doing the Lord's work. HIs smallness of stature and beauty I think is reflective of the childlikeness that we are called to when we follow God. She even describes a difference between the angels that she has seen. Can you imagine? Seeing angels so often that you know the difference between them? St. Teresa was truly so holy and so open to the Lord's work. The angel pierces her heart several times - the purifying work that we must undertake on earth is never done. We can always relinquish more control and attach ourselves more to God and his will. Even if the arrow that pierces her heart is painful, she will know that it is God's love that is purifying her in that moment. It reminds me of Simeon in the temple foretelling that Mary will have a sword pierce her heart. This sword and arrow is reflective of the suffering that we will have to undergo if we are Our Lord's servants. By saying we are Christians the world will hate us, the majority will despise us. The spiritual pain that we have to undergo is for our sanctification and for the rest of the world to become united with God. Our hearts will be restless until they rest in the Lord. Once we get a taste of what the Lord has for us, everything in the world will pale in comparison.
She is passively receiving the immense love and power of Christ in this moment. Her hand and foot is limp, she reclines back with mouth slightly open. She does not seem overwhelmed or in pain, but willingly accepting all the angel is doing unto her. We are all called to be the spouse of Christ, wholly united to Him. The Church is the Bride of Christ and we are able to partake in that spousal relationship. Earthly marriages are but a weak image of the glory of unification, love, purification and perfection that will be achieved in the spousal relationship of us with God. Looking at this sculpture I am encouraged to allow the Lord to more fully act in my life. If I just allow Him to come into my heart, I too can experience His purifying love.
Information
St. Teresa was born in Avila, Spain in 1515 and entered a Carmelite convent around the age of 20. St. Teresa was described as a straightforward and practical woman. She had great influence on the Counter-Reformation world, going on to find several religious communities as well as being a teacher of St. John of the Cross. Her practical nature led her to analyzing and describing her religious experiences with a concreteness that helps the faithful still today. It may seem that she was always at the heights of holiness, but it was not until the 1550s that she began to experience the visions like the one depicted here. It takes time to grow in holiness and unity with the Lord. For St. Teresa, the heights of contemplation did not come until halfway through her life. This provides much hope for us who see the holiness of the saints and do not know how we are to measure up. The Lord will draw us near to Him when we are actively serving Him and working towards virtue.
Although there are several incredible artists in the Renaissance and Baroque era, surprisingly not many of them were serious about their religion. Gian Lorenzo Bernini is an exception in that. He was an incredibly dedicated Catholic which makes this sculpture even more powerful. For the last forty years of his life he went to church every day and would partake in communion twice a week. Having sacred art that is created by authentically practicing Catholic artists is importance because there is a level of trust that is there. Art is more than just work or creating something, it can be a prayer and act of devotion. Bernini would have created this as an opportunity to inspire and educate others on the holiness and experiences of St. Teresa. She was canonized in 1622, not very long before he created this sculpture. He would have actually read her writings in authentic interpretation as what was written, instead of taking it wrongly.
The way that St. Teresa writes about her ecstasies and how Bernini sculpted this has led many to call it provocative and inappropriate for a Church. Knowing that Bernini was Catholic helps to defend these accusations because he would have sculpted it to make it be as real and concrete of an event as possible. The highest unions with God can be beyond words and our explanations and art will always fall short with what has actually happened. It is also described as erotic at times which can definitely feel wrong to us. I believe that this description comes from not understanding what true love and true union is. God made us body and soul and our agape with Him will have to have a bodily experience. This experience comes in ecstasy as seen with St. Teresa. The world knows eroticism where we know true love. They see a bodily experience and they think that it must be erotic or lustful. It is important for us as Catholics to remember that our body and soul are made for more.
This sculpture is very much in the Baroque style. The childlike angel is delicate and seems like he is light as air. St. Teresa's body cannot be seen beneath the heavy drapery of her robe. Her hand and foot hanging out of her robes emphasizes that she is totally overcome with God's love. The folds in the fabric give energy to the sculpture and make us forget that it is carved out of marble. The heaviness of her robes is offset by them being placed on a cloud. The strongest of God's love and transformation is lighter and brighter than the water vapor that creates clouds. The drama and ethereal nature of the entire altar makes it a true work of art. The entire impact of the scene can be understand by seeing the entire space of the chapel. The sculpture is the center piece of sculpture, painting and architecture that was all designed by Bernini. The dark marble columns and semi-circle niche help to frame the sculpture. It draws our eyes to the sculpture in focus like a picture, but also that they are opening up to show us the scene of her ecstasy. The rays coming down shine down with the light from the hidden dome. Bernini had a love of theatre, which you can see by how he has composed the entire chapel. It is like a set of a play where we are just watching what is unveiling in front of us. There is an awe and wonder we can approach this with as we strive to understand St. Teresa's experience and how we can reach the heights of holiness that she did. We can approach our lives in awe the same way, noticing how God has shaped all of history for our sake and moments in our lives to bring us closer to Him.
More Questions
-How can you be more unified with the Lord?
-Do you know of other Catholic artists, past or present?
-How does the rest of the altar add to the feeling of the sculpture?
-Do you like this sculpture? Why or why not?
Let us pray -
Lord, you are calling us to the heights of holiness the same that you called St. Teresa of Avila to. Help us to see these heights as a journey that we can reach in this life. May we never tire of being purified by your love and touched by the arrow of your powerful heart. Conversion is a lifelong journey, may every step closer to you be a victory in heaven. Bring us closer to you this day and every day.
St. Teresa of Avila, pray for us!
Amen.
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