St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
Edith Stein, Philosopher and Martyr
Feast Day: August 9
Biography
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (1891–1942), born Edith Stein, was a German Jewish philosopher who became one of the most remarkable converts of the 20th century. A student of Edmund Husserl and a prominent phenomenologist in her own right, she was an atheist as a young woman. Reading the autobiography of St. Teresa of Ávila in a single night converted her to Christianity. She was baptized in 1922 and entered the Carmelite order in 1933 as the Nazi threat grew. Despite transferring to a Dutch Carmel for safety, she was arrested by the Gestapo in 1942 (in retaliation for the Dutch bishops' condemnation of Nazi racism) and sent to Auschwitz, where she was murdered in the gas chambers on August 9, 1942. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1998 and declared a co-patroness of Europe.
Patronages
Symbols
Prayer
St. Teresa Benedicta, you followed truth wherever it led — from philosophy to the Cross. Help me to seek truth fearlessly and to unite my sufferings with Christ. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Asking for Intercession
Catholics ask saints to pray with us and for us, as we ask friends on earth. St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, who lives in God's presence, intercedes before His throne. Speak from your heart: “St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, please pray for me…” You may also pray the prayer above or include this intention in your Rosary.