Saint Michael: The Protector, Spiritual Warrior, and Guardian of Divine Justice
Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross: A Jewish Convert to Catholicism and a Martyr of the Catholic Faith
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Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, also known as, Saint Edith Stein, was a German Catholic philosopher, Carmelite nun, and martyr who lived from 1891 to 1942. She was born on Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, on October 12th, 1891, in Breslau, Germany (now Wroclaw, Poland).
Edith Stein was raised in a secular Jewish family, but after her philosophical studies at the University of Breslau, she converted to Catholicism and was baptized in 1922. She earned her doctorate in philosophy in 1916 with a thesis on the problem of empathy and became a popular lecturer on philosophy and psychology at the University of Gottingen. She is known for her devotion to the teachings of Saint Teresa of Avila, and was a brilliant philosopher, a great spiritual writer, and a tireless advocate of the rights of women.
In 1933, with the rise of the Nazi party in Germany, Edith Stein chose to leave her teaching position and enter the Carmelite monastery in Cologne, where she took the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
In 1942, Edith Stein and her sister Rosa, who was also a Carmelite nun, were arrested by the Gestapo and sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Edith Stein died in the gas chamber on August 9th, 1942. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1987 and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 1998.
Saint Teresa Benedicta is the patron saint of Europe, converts, the arts, and journalists, as well as the patroness of World Youth Day 2011. She is also remembered for her writings, including "The Science of the Cross" and "Endless Life".
Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross' feast day is celebrated on August 9th. Her canonization took place on October 11th, 1998.
Overall, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross was a remarkable woman who lived a life dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and the Catholic faith. Her conversion from Judaism, her philosophical contributions, and her ultimate sacrifice as a martyr serve as a powerful testimony to the transformative power of God's love.
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