Autobiography of the Blessed Mother Anne of Saint Bartholomew, Inseparable Companion of Saint Teresa, and Foundress of the Carmels of Pontoise, Tours and Antwerp

The novice's mentor was the founder of the congregation herself, the reformer of the order and Teacher of the Church, St. Teresa of Avila, with whom she later developed a deep spiritual friendship. In 1610 she entered Carmelite convent in Salamanca as a postulant along with her sister-in-law Isabel de la Cruz. The following year he took her vows as a nun and received his religious name: Anne de Saint Bartholomew. After this period lived in various convents until 1620 when he was sent by his superiors to help found monasteries in France where there were few nuns who were very dedicated to their lives in community life. In all these monasteries carried various obediences, including obedience abbess. Ana García Manzanas (monastic Anne of Saint Bartholomew) was the first nun of the Discalced Carmelites (OCD), secretary of Saint Teresa of Jesus, writer, mystic, founder of the monasteries of the Discalced Carmelites in the Kingdom of France and the Duchy of Brabant, blessed of the Roman Catholic Church, heavenly patroness city of Antwerp. In her "Autobiography" Anna writes about the appearances of Jesus Christ that were to her. For the first time he appeared to her in the pasture in the form of a peer, when she was still a child. After this meeting, Anna began to spend more time in solitude and prayer. She grew up, and her relatives found her a worthy candidate for a wife, but Anna categorically refused to marry. All attempts to force her to change her mind were unsuccessful. Having taken a vow of chastity, she avoided the company of strangers, and spent her free time from work in church in prayer. At this time, in a dream vision, Jesus Christ again appeared to her and supported her in the struggle for her calling. Soon, when, together with her sisters and servants, she was resting in nature not far from their village, Jesus Christ again appeared to her. Anna turned to him with a request to allow her to lead the life of a hermit in the mountains, after which she fell asleep. In a dream, she saw a monastery and virgins in monastic vestments, and when she woke up, she realized that she should become a nun. This book is an important primary source and will also be of interest to anyone who cares about Anne of Saint Bartholomew.