The plenary chamber of the town hall of Alba de Tormes, Spain, where Teresa died in 1582, was filled to capacity on Sunday morning, December 21, as locals and visitors gathered for the presentation of Muero porque no muero (I Die Because I Do Not Die), a new book by Discalced Carmelite friar Manuel Diego Sánchez.
The volume offers what its author calls the most rigorous documentary study to date of the exhumations and transfers of the body of St. Teresa of Jesus.
It is the culmination of the recent studies on the remains of St. Teresa, as recorded by Aleteia at various moments during the study, for example:
The book tackles one of the most intricate chapters of the town’s religious history. For centuries, accounts of the saint’s tomb have been shaped largely by oral tradition, devotion, and fragmentary sources. Sánchez replaces hearsay with verifiable archival evidence.
“This was the book I wanted to write to complete such an important chapter of the town’s Teresian history — and it’s a book that can only be written from here,” Sánchez told the audience. His insistence on local perspective is central to the project. Alba de Tormes is certainly a devotional destination, but it is also the place where the historical decisions surrounding Teresa’s remains actually unfolded.
Over 265 pages, Muero porque no muero reconstructs the complex sequence of exhumations and relocations of Teresa’s body, situating each event within its political, ecclesial, and cultural context. According to the author, the goal is not to diminish popular devotion, but to anchor it in documented fact.
“From now on, we no longer need to rely on what we’ve heard, on what our ancestors said, or on scattered readings,” Sánchez explained. “We now have a reliable documentary record of what truly happened in Alba de Tormes with the body of St. Teresa.”
The research yielded surprises even for the author. During the presentation, Sánchez shared several findings he described as genuine discoveries — details previously overlooked or misunderstood that now reshape the accepted narrative. These contributions, he suggested, will require future studies of Teresa’s legacy to engage seriously with the documentary record he has assembled.
The event underscored the continued relevance of Teresa of Jesus, not only as a Doctor of the Church and spiritual writer, but as a historical figure whose physical remains became the focus of devotion, debate, and careful guardianship.
The presentation was reported by Roberto Jiménez in Salamanca al Día, highlighting the strong local interest the book has already generated. That interest suggests a broader appeal as well. For pilgrims and readers beyond Spain, Muero porque no muero offers a model of how Catholic history can be studied with both reverence and precision.
In grounding Teresa’s tomb in archival truth, Sánchez has not closed a story, but given it firmer foundations — ensuring that one of Spain’s greatest saints can be honored without confusion, and remembered without myth overtaking memory.
