Saint Teresa Benedicta

Edith Stein was born to a Jewish family in Breslau in 1891. Her search for truth led her to read Saint Teresa of Avila’s autobiography, which she declared revealed the truth. In 1922, she was baptized Catholic and continued her work as a philosopher and academic before entering the Carmel of Cologne as a nun in 1933.

Edith Stein suffered during the Nazi persecution and was gassed at Auschwitz on 9 August 1942. She died as both a Jewish woman and a martyr for the Christian faith, offering her suffering for the people of Israel. A woman of great intellect, her writings are known for their doctrinal richness and spiritual insight. She was declared one of the six co-patron saints of Europe by Pope Saint John Paul II.