# John of the Cross

> Spanish mystic and Roman Catholic saint (1542–1591)

**Wikidata**: [Q190388](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q190388)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_the_Cross)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/john-of-the-cross

## Summary
John of the Cross (1542–1591), also known as Saint John of the Cross or Juan de la Cruz, was a Spanish mystic, Roman Catholic saint, Catholic priest, friar, writer, and poet. He is principally known for his role as a leading mystical figure within the Roman Catholic tradition and for his close historical association with the Discalced Carmelite orders.

## Biography
- Born: 1542 (place not specified in the provided source)
- Nationality: Spanish
- Education: Affiliated with the University of Salamanca (inception 1218)
- Known for: Spanish mystic and Roman Catholic saint; recognized as a writer and poet
- Employer(s): Associated with the Order of the Brothers Discalced of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (inception 1562) and closely connected with the Order of Discalced Nuns of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (inception 1593)
- Field(s): Mysticism, religious life; roles include Catholic priest, friar, writer, and poet

## Contributions
- Recognized religious and mystical leadership: Identified in the source as a Spanish mystic and Roman Catholic saint (1542–1591), marking him among prominent figures in Catholic mysticism.
- Institutional association: Served as a key person associated with the Order of the Brothers Discalced of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (inception 1562) and is connected to the Order of Discalced Nuns of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (inception 1593).
- Intellectual and literary identity: Classified as a writer and poet in the provided material; specific titles, dates, or lists of works are not supplied in the source.
- Academic affiliation: Linked to the University of Salamanca (inception 1218), indicating an educational or institutional relationship with that historic Spanish university.

(The source material does not provide specific publication titles, years of individual works, or concrete lists of writings, so no additional bibliographic details are available here.)

## FAQs
Q: Who was John of the Cross?
A: John of the Cross (1542–1591), also called Saint John of the Cross or Juan de la Cruz, was a Spanish mystic, Roman Catholic saint, Catholic priest, friar, writer, and poet.

Q: With which religious orders was he associated?
A: He is associated with the Order of the Brothers Discalced of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (inception 1562) and is closely connected with the Order of Discalced Nuns of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (inception 1593).

Q: What is known about his education?
A: The source lists an affiliation with the University of Salamanca (inception 1218), indicating an educational or institutional connection; no specific degrees or dates are provided.

Q: What kinds of works did he produce?
A: The source classifies him as a writer and poet but does not provide specific titles, publication years, or descriptions of individual works.

Q: When did he live?
A: He lived from 1542 to 1591.

Q: What are his commonly used names?
A: He is known by the aliases Saint John of the Cross and Juan de la Cruz. His Wikipedia article title is "John of the Cross."

## Why They Matter
John of the Cross matters as a canonical example of Spanish Catholic mysticism and as a sanctified figure within the Roman Catholic Church. His identification as a mystic and saint places him among the religious personalities who shaped devotional and mystical currents in early modern Catholicism. His association with the Discalced Carmelite institutions links him to the religious reforms and communities that arose in the 16th century. As a recognized writer and poet in the source material, he also occupies a place where literary expression and spiritual theology intersect; this combination has historically made such figures reference points for both religious practice and devotional literature. Without figures like him, the recorded tradition of Spanish mysticism and the institutional history of the Discalced Carmelite orders would lack a prominent representative who embodied priestly, monastic, literary, and mystical roles simultaneously.

## Notable For
- Being a Spanish mystic and Roman Catholic saint (lifespan recorded as 1542–1591).
- Known aliases: Saint John of the Cross and Juan de la Cruz.
- Classified roles: Catholic priest, friar, writer, and poet.
- Institutional associations: linked with the Order of the Brothers Discalced of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (inception 1562) and the Order of Discalced Nuns of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (inception 1593).
- Academic affiliation: associated with the University of Salamanca (inception 1218).
- Widely referenced in linked data: sitelink_count = 80; Wikipedia article title "John of the Cross"; Wikidata description “Spanish mystic and Roman Catholic saint (1542–1591).”

## Body

### Identity and core descriptors
- Name and aliases: Listed under structured properties as John of the Cross; also known as Saint John of the Cross and Juan de la Cruz.
- Human roles: The provided data classifies him as a human and assigns occupational/identity labels: writer, poet, Catholic priest, and friar.
- Primary descriptor: The wikidata_description explicitly calls him a "Spanish mystic and Roman Catholic saint (1542–1591)."

### Lifespan and basic biographical facts
- Years of life: 1542–1591 as stated in the primary descriptor.
- Birth specifics: The source gives the birth year (1542) but does not supply a birth date or place; therefore place-of-birth details are not recorded in this material.
- National context: Referred to as Spanish; related place data includes the historical Crown of Castile (a former country with inception dated 1230-01-01T00:00:00Z), which is listed among connected entities.

### Religious affiliations and orders
- Order of the Brothers Discalced of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel: The source identifies this Catholic religious order (inception 1562) as a key connected entity for John of the Cross. He is listed in relation to this order, signaling a substantive historical linkage.
- Order of Discalced Nuns of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel: The female religious order (inception 1593) is also listed among key connected entities, indicating a close association with the religious family linked to the Discalced Carmelite reform movement.
- Roles within religious life: The source assigns him the roles of Catholic priest and friar, which place him within ordained and monastic contexts of the Church.

### Academic connection
- University of Salamanca: The source lists the University of Salamanca (inception 1218) as an affiliated institution. This indicates an educational or institutional relationship between John of the Cross and a major Spanish university.

### Literary and intellectual identity
- Writer and poet: The provided knowledge calls him a writer and a poet. The source does not enumerate titles, composition dates, or publication records; however, these classifications signal that his cultural and intellectual output included literary works and poetic expression.

### Institutional and historical context
- Crown of Castile: Included among related places; noted as a former country with inception in 1230. This situates him within the broader historical-geographical framework of late medieval and early modern Spain.
- Discalced Carmelite reform context: The inclusion of both the male and female Discalced Carmelite orders (inceptions 1562 and 1593) as key connected entities indicates that his historical presence is closely tied to that reform movement and its institutions.

### Recognition and metadata
- Sitelink and reference metadata: The structured properties show a sitelink_count of 80 for John of the Cross, indicating broad referencing across linked-data platforms. The primary Wikipedia article title is "John of the Cross."
- Canonical description: The Wikidata description concisely frames him as a Spanish mystic and Roman Catholic saint living from 1542 to 1591.

### Gaps in the source
- No specific literary works, sermon texts, dates of ordination, exact roles within the orders, or precise biographical events are supplied in the provided material. The source does not list awards or exact leadership titles. Consequently, detailed bibliographic, institutional-office, and event chronology cannot be asserted here without additional sources.

### Summary appraisal
- John of the Cross stands in the source material as a multifaceted religious figure: a Spanish-born mystic and saint, a Catholic priest and friar, a writer and poet, and a person closely associated with the Discalced Carmelite orders and the University of Salamanca. Metadata attached to his record (aliases, sitelink count, Wikipedia title) underscores his prominence in reference systems, while the listed institutional inceptions (Crown of Castile 1230; University of Salamanca 1218; Discalced Carmelite orders 1562 and 1593) provide historical anchors for his life and associations.

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