St. John of the Cross

St. John of the Cross, born in 1542 in Fontiveros, Spain, was a central figure in the renewal and reform of sixteenth-century religious life. Working with Teresa of Avila to reform the Carmelites, John was imprisoned by members of the non-reformed branch of the order. When John escaped from prison, he did so with a notebook containing poetry written during his confinement. These poems became the basis of The Dark Night of the Soul.