Teresita Barajuen
Teresita Barajuen (September 16, 1907 – June 12, 2013) was a Spanish Roman Catholic nun and member of the Order of Cistercians. Barajuen is believed to hold the world record for the longest service in cloister.[1][2]
Biography
Barajuen entered the Monastery of Santa María de Buenafuente del Sistal on April 16, 1927, when she was nineteen years old.[1] She remained as a cloistered nun at the monastery for 86 years.[1] Barajuen admitted in interviews that she did not originally intend to become a nun, but entered into religious life at the monastery due to family pressures.[1] She and her fellow nuns were forced to flee the monastery during the Spanish Civil War due to fighting in the region.[1] In August 2011, Barajuen left the monastery for the first time in forty years to meet with Pope Benedict XVI, who was visiting Madrid for World Youth Day 2011.[1][2] Barajuen had entered the cloistered monastery on April 16, 1927, the same day that Benedict XVI was born.[1][3]
Barajuean was one of ten Spanish nuns featured in a 2013 book, What is a Girl Like You Doing In A Place Like This?, by Jesús García, a journalist with El Mundo, a major daily newspaper.[1] Barajuen died during the night of June 12, 2013, at the age of 105.[1] Her death was reported by Sister Maria Romero, abbess of the Buenafuente del Sistal monastery.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Teresita Barajuen: A world-record 86 years in a monastery". Associated Press. Christian Science Monitor. 2013-06-12. Retrieved 2013-07-09.
- 1 2 Levy, Gabrielle (2013-06-12). "Cloistered nun dies after serving for 86 years". United Press International. Retrieved 2013-07-09.
- ↑ "Notable deaths around the nation and world as of June 16, 2013". Oregonlive.com. 2013-06-13. Retrieved 2013-07-09.