St. Teresa of Ávila, October 15
A Carmelite nun of Castile, Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582) reformed her order with St. John of the Cross and founded seventeen convents. She described the life of prayer in The Interior Castle and in her autobiography. In 1970 she became the first woman named a Doctor of the Church.
On the General Roman Calendar, October 15 is a memorial: Saint Teresa of Jesus, virgin and doctor.
Name days on October 15
In countries that keep name days, October 15 is the day for people named Teresa and Tessa. These names come from the same saint, as variants, nicknames or forms used in other languages.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| Teresa | October 15 |
| Tessa | October 15 |
October 15 on the calendar
October 15 is the 288th day of the year (the 289th in a leap year), with 77 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday |
| 2027 | Friday |
| 2028 | Sunday |
| 2029 | Monday |
| 2030 | Tuesday |
Keeping October 15
October 15 falls in October, the month of the rosary. As a memorial, the saint is named in the opening prayer of every Mass celebrated that day. Families who keep name days often mark the day with a card, a candle or a favorite meal, and parishes named after the saint may hold a festival. If you know someone named Teresa and Tessa, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around October 15
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| October 12 | St. Wilfrid |
| October 13 | St. Edward the Confessor |
| October 14 | St. Callistus I |
| October 16 | St. Margaret Mary Alacoque |
| October 17 | St. Ignatius of Antioch |
| October 18 | St. Luke |
The day before, October 14, is the day of St. Callistus I. The day after, October 16, belongs to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.