Mystical Verse and Prose/Poesías y prosas místicas: A Dual-Language Book

by John of the Cross, Juan de la Cruz, Stanley Appelbaum (Editor)

The sixteenth-century friar known as St. John of the Cross is regarded as one of Spain's foremost poets, as well as one of the greatest mystical poets of any language. Drawn to the contemplative life, he joined St. Teresa of Avila in her reform of the Discalced Carmelites. St. John considered his poetry to be the most authentic expression of his theology and his mystical experience. This new edition of his works of spiritual guidance both modernizes the original text and retains its rhetorical grandeur.
In addition to eight poems, this volume features St. John's four major prose works: Subida del Monte Carmelo ("The Ascent of Mount Carmel"), Noche oscura ("The Dark Night"), Cantico espiritual ("The Spiritual Canticle"), and Llama de amor viva ("The Living Flame of Love"). Translator Stanley Appelbaum provides an informative Introduction, in addition to helpful notes on each item.

224 pages, Paperback

Published December 27, 2006

About the author

St. John of the Cross (Spanish: Juan de la Cruz), born June 24 1542, Juan de Yepes Álvarez, was a major Counter-Reformation figure, a Spanish mystic, Catholic saint, Carmelite friar and priest. He was a reformer of the Carmelite Order and is considered, along with St Teresa of Ávila, as a founder of the Discalced Carmelites. He's also known for his writings. Both his poetry & his studies on the growth of the soul are considered the summit of mystical Spanish literature & a peak of all Spanish literature. He was canonized as a saint in 1726 by Pope Benedict XIII. He is one of the 33 Doctors of the Church. (less)

Reviews

[Carah Naseem · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was sad about this. It opens up with San Juan de la Cruz's heart-rending, sensual devotional poetry, that makes you wonder about the asceticism of this man, that makes you burn up with desire as he did... only to follow with pious, apologetic prose explications of the poems, promoting mortification of the senses which he dances within in his verse, the belittlement of the self which carries such character in his verse. It actually made me lose faith in humanity for a second, before I realized yet again the folly of Christian asceticism.