The preserved heart of Saint Teresa bearing a wound consistent with her account of transverberation — the mystical piercing by an angel's lance.
History
After Teresa's death in 1582, her heart was removed and found to bear a remarkable wound. The heart has been preserved in the Convent of the Annunciation in Alba de Tormes since the 16th century.
Scientific Investigation
Medical examination has confirmed the wound in the heart tissue. The nature of the wound is consistent with Teresa's description of the transverberation experience. The preservation of cardiac tissue for over 440 years without artificial means is medically unexplained.
Spiritual Significance
Physical evidence of one of the most famous mystical experiences in Christian history, immortalized in Bernini's sculpture 'The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa.'
