Today the church celebrates The Feast of Saint John of the Cross. John was born in Spain in the 16th century and was known as a mystic and poet. He was a friend an ally of Saint Teresa of Jesus of Avila in founding the reformed or Discalced Carmelite Friars. Because of this, he suffered imprisonment by the hands of the unreformed Carmelites of the Observance.

He is the author of The Ascent of Mount Carmel, The Dark Night of the Soul, The Spiritual Canticle, and O Flame of Living Love.

Saint John of the Cross is known as “The Mystic Doctor.” The Discalced Carmelites today number about 4,000 religious.