Saint Teresa of Ávila, known in religion as Saint Teresa of Jesus an baptized as Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada, (born March 28, 1515 at Ávila, Old Castile, Spain, died October 4, 1582 at Alba de Tormes, Salamanca, Spain) was a prominent Spanish mystic, Carmelite nun, and writer of the Counter Reformation. She was a reformer of the Carmelite Order and is considered to be, along with Saint John of the Cross, a founder of the Discalced Carmelites. She became the first woman to be named a Doctor of the Church in 1970 and is one of only three women to be awarded that honor, along with St. Catherine of Siena, made so in 1970 and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, made so in 1997.