Every December 14, the Catholic Church celebrates Saint John of the Cross, a religious poet and mystic of the Spanish Renaissance. He, together with Saint Teresa of Avila, undertook the reform of the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Carmelites), a company that led to the foundation of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, of which he is a co-founder.
Saint John of the Cross is recognized as one of the most important representatives of Western mystical poetry and certainly one of the greatest writers in the Spanish language.His poetic talent has been recognized by writers of every mood and current. Even universal poets, as dissimilar as Rubén Darío and TS Elliot, recognized a decisive influence in him.
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Karol Wojtyla, Pope Saint John Paul II, dedicated his doctoral thesis in theology to the study of faith in the works of the great Spanish mystic.
The experiance of poverty and the encounter with God
Saint John was born in Fontiveros, province of Ávila (Spain), on 24 June 1542. As has been noted, he undertook, together with Saint Teresa of jesus, the reform of the Carmelite Order, an effort that would lead to the foundation of the Discalced Carmelites.
Juan de Yepes Álvarez – the secular name of the saint – was the son of parents of jewish origin who converted to Christianity: Don Gonzalo de Yepes,a weaver from Toledo,and Doña Catalina Álvarez. He had two older brothers, Francisco and Luis. Don Gonzalo had been disinherited by his family due to his marriage to Catalina and died when Juan was only 4 years old. That loss plunged the family into poverty and even though Doña Catalina asked Don Gonzalo’s relatives for help, it was never prosperous.
Given the lack of resources, Juan ended up at the college of Doctrines (school for abandoned children who need training in Christian doctrine) in Medina del Campo, in exchange for a certain fee that made him an altar boy and then a sacristan in one of the temples of your city.
some enhancement in the family’s economic situation then allowed him to enter the Jesuit college in 1551. While studying there part-time, he worked at the Hospital of Our Lady of the Conception. Thanks to the Jesuit fathers he achieved a solid humanistic education, which allowed him to know Latin and many classical authors very well.
Friar juan de Matías, a young Carmelite
In 1563, at the age of 21, Juan entered the convent of the Carmelite fathers and adopted the name Fray juan de San Matías. After completing his novitiate between 1563 and 1564 at the Convent of Santa Ana, he moved to Salamanca to study at the College of San Andrés de los Cármenes (1564-1567).
From then on both saints had to overcome or endure many difficulties and difficulties, given the hostility of the Carmelites and the natural implications of promoting a reform with claims – considered exaggerated – of returning to the sources of Carmel, gradually forgotten over the course of the years.years. The ideal of Discalced Carmel was, therefore, to follow the “primitive rule” of the Order.
Friar Juan de la Cruz, the Carmelite of maturity
In August 1568, Juan left Salamanca – where he was finishing his high school studies – to accompany Santa Teresa. Together they founded the female convent in Valladolid and a few months later, on November 28 of the same year, Juan founded the first convent of the male branch of the Discalced Carmel in Duruelo (Ávila). That day, “Juan de San Matías” changed his name to Brother Juan de la Cruz.
In 1570 the foundation was moved to Mancera, where Juan served as vice-prior and master of novices. In 1571 he was appointed rector of the newly founded College of the Discalced Carmelites of San cirilo. In 1572, at the request of Mother teresa, he assumed the role of vicar and confessor of the nuns of the convent of the Incarnation in Ávila. During his stay he accompanied his mother on her foundation trips.
Prisoner of Christ
At the General Chapter of the Carmelites in 1575 it was decided to send a visitor from the Order to suppress the reformed convents and confine Mother Teresa to a convent.In 1577,Brother Juan de la Cruz was arrested and taken to Toledo. There he was mistreated and isolated for 8 months, during which he was able to write one of his most important works: the spiritual song. Providentially the Discalced carmelo was erected as an exempt Province and in 1588 it was recognized as a religious Order.
After that difficult episode, Saint John of the Cross continued to serve as a vicar and made trips to Andalusia (Spain) and some cities in Portugal until he was summoned before god in Úbeda on 14 December 1591. He was canonized. by Pope Benedict XIII in 1756 and, since 1952, he has been the patron saint of spanish-language poets. saint John of the Cross is also part of the list of the 36 Doctors of the Church.
The “dark night”“ and the work of St.John of the Cross: pure love
Saint Edith Stein (1891-1942), a Carmelite nun murdered in a Nazi concentration camp, wrote in a letter written in 1940 about one of the highest points of the spirituality of Saint John of the Cross.
Edith was responding, at that time, to a letter sent to her by a Dominican nun, a doctor of philosophy, on the nature of “pure love” in the thought of Saint John of the Cross. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Edith Stein, writes:
«Saint John of the Cross means by “pure love” [a] God’s love for himself; [b] that of a heart free from any attachment to any created thing: to itself and to the rest of creatures, but also to any consolation and similar things that god can grant to the soul, to any form of special devotion, etc.; [c] that of a heart that desires nothing more than for God’s will to be done and that lets itself be guided by Him without resistance. What you can do to get hear is discussed at length in “The Climb of mount Carmel.” [otra obra cumbre de San Juan de la Cruz]. How God purifies the soul, in “The Dark Night”. The result, in “The living flame of love” and “The spiritual song”. In essence, the entire journey is found in each of the works, except that in each case one stage or another is accentuated. But if you want to learn the essentials, compiled in a much shorter form, then you should take the short writings.
The impact of St. John of the Cross is evident not only in the thought of the Carmelite saint and philosopher, but also in the Catholic theological and spiritual tradition. It has already been said that many of the most important writers and poets acknowledge having been influenced by him, while many others maintain that Juan de la Cruz represents the highest level of poetry written in Spanish.
One of his most famous concepts, and of incalculable literary, mystical and theological value, is precisely that of the “dark night of the soul”. limit experience when God appears radically distant or absent to the soul which, however, strives to be faithful to him in extreme or painful circumstances.
“We had to cry out saying: My God, my God! why did you abandon me? (Mt 27.46). That was the greatest sensory impotence he had ever had in his life.And so he accomplished in him the greatest work that he had accomplished in his entire life with miracles and works, neither on earth nor in heaven, and that is to reconcile and unite the human race with God by grace” (Climbing Mount CarmelII, 7, 11).
If you want to know more about the life and work of St. John of the Cross, we recommend this article from Catholic Encyclopedia: https://ec.aciprensa.com/wiki/San_Juan_de_la_Cruz.
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how did Hn of the Cross influence Christian mysticism and spirituality?
Hn of the Cross is celebrated for his profound spiritual heritage and poetic insight, impacting various literary traditions and religious thought. His works often explore themes of divine love, suffering, and the soul’s longing for God, making him a significant figure not only in Catholicism but also in the broader landscape of mystical literature.
His journey from a boy born into poverty to a revered mystic illustrates his unwavering faith and dedication to a life of prayer and contemplation. The reforms he initiated wiht Saint Teresa of Jesus aimed to return to a more austere, prayer-oriented lifestyle, which highlighted the importance of inner spirituality over external rituals.
Saint John’s major writings include the “Dark Night of the Soul,” “Ascent of Mount Carmel,” and “Spiritual canticle,” each serving as guides for those seeking deeper spiritual understanding and intimacy with God.Through allegorical and lyrical language, he invites readers to embark on their own spiritual journeys, transcending the ordinary to encounter the divine.
His legacy continues to inspire countless individuals on their paths of faith, making him a central figure in Christian mysticism and spirituality.Today, the Catholic Church honors him as a Doctor of the Church, recognizing his theological contributions and the profound influence of his writings on Christian spirituality.