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Farmer (“El sonavabitche”)
St. Teresa of Ávila was a prominent 16th-century Spanish nun and church reformer. The poem “Holy Relics” describes how priests repeatedly robbed her grave and stole her body parts—her “holy relics,” which they have since displayed in their churches for centuries. Anzaldúa uses St. Teresa’s body as a metaphor for church corruption and the objectification of women’s bodies.
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Saint Teresa of Ávila (“Holy Relics”) Character Timeline in Borderlands / La Frontera
The timeline below shows where the character Saint Teresa of Ávila (“Holy Relics”) appears in Borderlands / La Frontera. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 2, Section 4: Cihuatlyotl, Woman Alone
Holy Relics. In an opening refrain, Saint Teresa of Ávila’s holy relics—her bones—say they want to be reunited. The poem describes Ávila, a...
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Another priest secretly opens Saint Teresa’s tomb two years later. The nuns smell the stench and rush over. The priest cuts...
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The Duke of Alba complains to the Pope, who orders Teresa returned to Alba. The priest takes her back, drawing attention the whole way. The nuns...
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