John of the Cross Catholic saint, writer and mystic poet Date of Birth: 24.06.1542 Country: Spain

Biography of Saint John of the Cross

Saint John of the Cross, also known as Saint Juan de la Cruz and Saint John of the Cross, was born on June 24, 1542, in Fontiveros, Spain. He came from a noble but impoverished aristocratic family. He received his education at a Jesuit school in the town of Medina del Campo. As a young man, he cared for the sick in a hospital.
In 1568, John joined the Carmelite order and took the name John of the Cross. He received his theological education in Salamanca. In the monastery, he became one of the founders of the reformed Carmelite monastery in Duruelo. John became a supporter of the reforms initiated by Saint Teresa of Avila, which aimed to return to the original ideals of the Carmelites – strictness and asceticism. However, his activities were not well-received by many in the monastery. Due to false accusations, John was brought to trial three times and spent many months in prison. It was during his captivity that he began writing his beautiful poems and prose treatises, including "The Ascent to Mount Carmel," "The Dark Night of the Soul," "The Spiritual Canticle," and "The Living Flame of Love."
John of the Cross passed away in Úbeda on December 14, 1591. In 1726, he was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII. In 1926, Pope Pius XI declared him a Doctor of the Church. The feast day of Saint John of the Cross in the Catholic Church is celebrated on December 14.