St. John of the Cross, Doctor of Mystical Theology

On the life, writings and spirituality of St. John of the Cross, priest and doctor of the Church

St. John of the Cross, 1542-1591 A.D.: considered today to be the greatest mystical theologian in the history of the Church; he is known as the Doctor of Mystical Theology.

Biographical sketch

Juan de Yepes y Alvarez, popularly known as St. John of the Cross, was born at Fontiveros, Castile, Spain, in June 24, 1542 A.D. - the youngest of three children. He entered the Carmelites at Medina when he was 21 years old - taking the religious name John of Saint Matthias. In that monastery, he wanted to remain as a lay brother, but the Carmelites insisted that he become a priest. So he studied theology for three years in the University of Salamanca, and was ordained in 1567 A.D.

After St. John of the Cross was ordained, he was granted permission to follow the original rule of Albert of Vercelli (1209 A.D.) which stressed strict discipline and solitude. In 1568 A.D., the first Sunday of Advent, together with St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross opened the first monastery of the newly reformed Discalced Carmelites - whose members were committed to a perfect spirit of solitude, humility and mortification. [It was at this time that he changed his religious name from John of Saint Matthias to John of the Cross].

After founding the Discalced Carmelites Order, his reform activities angered some old Carmelites. They accused him of rebellion, and had him arrested and put in a small cell. But it was in this prison cell that he wrote two of his fine works: The Spiritual Canticle and The Living Flame of Love. St. John of the Cross was in prison only for nine months. He was able to escape and seek refuge in a monastery of El Calvario at Andalusia.

In 1579 A.D., St. John of the Cross became rector of the college at Baeza. Then in 1585 A.D., in the general chapter, he was elected the superior of the Discalced Carmelites.

Towards the end of his life, St. John of the Cross became ill. He died in December 14, 1591 A.D. at the age of 49 years old in a friary at Ubeda. His works were published after his death. This works included The Ascent of Mount Carmel and The Dark Night of the Soul. In December 14, 1675 A.D., St. John of the Cross was beatified by Pope Clement X. Canonization was by Pope Benedict XIII in December 14, 1726 A.D. And in December 14, 1926 A.D. he was declared doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XII.

Teaching and spirituality

St. John of the Cross was a great mystic, poet and writer. He tried to translate into language his mystical experience. He did this through poetry and his commentaries. The mystical experience of St. John of the Cross took him into the very depths of his being. St. Edith Stein, a modern Carmelite disciple of St. John of the Cross, said that "...it is through poetry that the soul is most adequately described..."

Through his own poetic genius, St. John of the Cross was able to recreate his experience of God in symbolism that evokes for others a taste of this experience. A most often used symbol is the heart which St. John of the Cross also used.

This symbol of the heart is represented in his poem "The Living Flame of Love". It can be found in the fourth and final stanza:

"How gently and lovingly
You wake in my heart
Where in secret You dwell alone;
And in your sweet breathing,
Filled with good and glory,
How tenderly You swell my heart with love!

St. John of the Cross is considered one of the classic sources of Catholic spirituality. John Paul II made a study on him and quotes him several times in Crossing the Threshold of Hope. The works and writings of St. John of the Cross are all representative of Biblical tradition, because he used the heart to symbolize a full range of inner human realities and activities. Through the symbol of the heart, St. John of the Cross explored the soul: what it is, what its capacities are, and what it does.

Excerpts from his writings

That heart symbolized the human heart that is attached to worldly things. To undertake the journey to God, the heart must be burned and purified of all creatures with the fire of divine love [The Ascent of Mount Carmel]


The soul, desiring to be possessed by this immense God, for love of whom she feels her heart is robbed and wounded, unable to endure her sickness any longer, deliberately asks Him in this stanza to show her His beauty...she makes this request by displaying before Him the sickness and yearning of her heart [The Spiritual Canticle]