One of the most famous Christian mystics and Spanish poets, and cofounder of the Discalced Carmelite order, and still famous today as the author of the much read The Spiritual Canticles, The Dark Night of the Soul and The Living Flame of Love.
Ordained as a priest in 1567, John was quickly sought out by St Teresa of Avila to help her restore the Carmelite life to its original observances of austerity. A year later he founded the first Discalced Carmelite monastery in Dureuelo, Spain. His reform of the order, however, led to friction and he was imprisoned. Some of his most brilliant works were produced while incarcerated. He escaped and later became the vicar of Andalusia from 1585 to 1587. Dissension plagued the order again towards the end of his life, but he had decided to withdraw himself into absolute solitude.
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