Cruz (Saint), Juan De

Cruz (Saint), Juan De a Spanish ascetic theologian, whose family name was Yesiez, was born in 1549 at Ontiveros, in Old Castile. At twenty-one he became a Carmelite at the monastery of Medina del Campo, and aided St. Theresa in reforming the monks, who eventually, however, through enmity, took him to Toledo, where he was imprisoned for nine months, and then was released through St. Theresa's interposition. He afterwards founded and controlled some monasteries. In 1591 he encountered new persecutions, and was banished to the convent of Pegnuela, upon the Sierra Morena, but obtained the liberty of retiring to the convent of Ubeda, where he died, December 14, 1591. He was beatified in 1675, and canonized in 1726. He wrote, Noche Obscura del Alma: — Subida del Monte Carmelo: — Caintico: — Espiritual entro le Almay Chrysto, su Esposa:— Llama de Amor Viva; and other works in Spanish. His works, collected and published for the first time at Barcelona in 1619, were translated into French by P. Cyprian (Paris, 1641); by P. Louis of St. Theresa (ibid. 1665); by P. Maillard (ibid. 1694); and in Latin by P. Andrew de Jesus (Cologne, 1639). They are written in an obscure and mysterious style. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.; Encyclop. Brit. (9th ed.) s.v.