This week in Christian history: TBN founder dies, John of the Cross founds monastery, First Crusade begins
John of the Cross founds monastery – Nov. 28, 1568
This week marks the anniversary of when St. John of the Cross, a Spanish mystic and writer of the famous poem “Dark Night of the Soul,” founded the first Carmelite monastery for men.
John had been inspired to found the monastery after meeting with a Carmelite Nun known as Teresa of Jesus, who had been pushing for a return to 13th century rules for her order.
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These rules included extensive study, periods of solitude and silence, extensive fasting, namely from the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (which falls on Sept. 14) until Easter.
“John left Valladolid to found a new monastery for friars, the first for men following Teresa’s principals,” explained Newman Ministry, which added that he took the name “John of the Cross” on the same day that he founded the monastery.
“He was a reformer and worked hard to bring his order back to its original Rule, which was much more rigid. He was so disliked by some in his Order, that were rebelling [against] the reform, that they tried him within his Order, and imprisoned him for life in a 10 foot by 6 foot cell in horrible conditions. He escaped after nine months, and after healing, went on to become Superior of the Discalced Carmelite Order.”
