
In an historic moment for the global chess community, World Chess officially introduces a Patron Saint of Chess: bringing the game into a centuries-old tradition of sports and cultural patronage. St. Teresa of Avila, a 16th-century Spanish mystic, writer, and intellectual, is an apt choice for chess's first patron saint. One of the most influential figures of the Catholic Church, she was known for her deep strategic thinking, discipline, and ability to navigate complex intellectual and spiritual landscapes—qualities that also define the highest levels of chess.