Marriage Symbolism in the Mysticism of St Teresa of Ávila

Abstract

The Bible describing the story of salvation uses a lot of symbols. Many of them are taken from married life. The same symbolic language is used by mystics. St Teresa of Ávila stands out among all of them. She employs numerous images of marriage and comparisons to explain the sanctifying action of God in the human soul. They can especially be seen on the mystical level of spiritual life. The Carmelite Doctor of the Church compares the peak of spiritual development to engagement and marriage. In the sixth mansion of The Interior Castle by St Teresa, the human soul is the Bride of Christ, the Betrothed. It hopes to move quickly – in the seventh mansion – to get closer to Christ, which is compared to marriage. The biblical and mystical marriage symbolism shows the role of marriage in God’s salvation plan. The mystical experience based on God’s love is available not only to the religious and priests but also to every Christian who lives a married life. Each of them, thanks to the grace of Baptism and the Sacrament of Matrimony, obtains full access to the mystic life which is understood as a real inner experience of God’s presence. This life is also attainable for married couples.