ST See also:JOHN OF THE See also:CROSS (1542-1591)
, See also:Spanish mystic, was See also:born at Ontiveros (Old See also:Castile) on the 24th of See also:June 1542
.
He became a professed' Carmelite in 1564, and was ordained See also:priest at See also:Salamanca in 1567
.
He met with much opposition in his efforts to introduce the reforms proposed by St See also:Theresa, and was more than once imprisoned
.
His real name was Juan de Yepez y See also:Alvarez; in See also:religion he was known as Juan de See also:San Matias till 1568, when he adopted the name of Juan de la Cruz
.
Broken by persecution, he was sent to the monastery of Ubeda, where he died in 1591; his Obras espiriluales were published posthumously in 1618
.
He was beatified in 1674 and canonized on the 27th of See also:December 1726
.
The lofty symbolism of his See also:prose is frequently obscure, but his lyrical verses are distinguished for their rapturous See also:ecstasy and beauty of expression
.
Some of his poems have been translated with See also:great success by See also:Arthur See also:Symons in Images of See also:Good and Evil; the most convenient edition of his See also:works, which have been frequently reprinted, is that contained in vol. xvi. of the Biblioteca de autores espanoles
.
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