Life of John of the Cross - Part 5

But even before John had encounter so many problems it is important to learn about his early life as young friar. John was ordained in Salamanca in 1567 and as we said early celebrated his first Mass in Medina del Campo with his classmate Pedro de Orozco.  That same year between the summer and the fall he was dealing with a serious vocation crisis in which St. Teresa, having known of his desire to go to the Carthusian, spoke to him about her plan for reform.  

It is important to note here the radical change taken by John, who had practically had made his decisions and planned to leave. St. Teresa had practically changed John’s direction offering him a new form of Carmelite ideal.  He had agreed to Teresa’s plan and returned to Salamanca to resume his courses in October it was not rare in those days to be ordained priest before finishing the courses in Theology.  In the Provincial Chapter in Avila  in 1567 was under the presidency Father General Battista Rossi Rubeo. The Bishop of Avila, Alvaro de Mendoza, in that same year took advantage of his stay by directly asking Rubeo to give permission or license to have a few monasteries in his diocese of discalced friars of the Primitive Rule (F2,4).  Teresa in her book of Foundations recounts how she insisted Rubeo on the necessary foundation for the Order and for the service of God (F 2,5).   Rubeo, by now in Barcelona, responded by sending license for two foundations of monasteries of discalced friars (F 2,5, 2,6, Fontes I, 68,69,70).

Fr. Antonio de Heredia – 

Teresa was in Medina del Campo on the 14 of August 1567 to make a foundation. It was here that she met the prior of the monastery in Medina, Fr. Antonio de Heredia who had told Teresa that he also wanted to leave and join the Cathusians but had heard that she had undertaken a new project of the discalced.  Teresa recounts: «He wanted to be the first» Teresa did not take him very seriously at first and even thought that he was joking, she continues: «He was always a good friar and recollected one as well as learned and friend of his cell, a cultured man, but at the beginning he did not seem to me that he did not have the spirit nor would carry forth the rigor that was needed, being fragile and predisposed to it». (F 3, 16)

John and Teresa -  

In the summer of 1567 (August 9) John had accompanied Teresa to the foundation of the discalced nuns in Valladolid.  The opening of the monastery was scheduled for the 15 of August.  Teresa recounts: « And since we remained there for a few days with the officials to take over the house without the setting of the cloister yet, there was some time to inform fray John of the Cross of all our manner in which to proceed, so that he would know well all the things, from things of mortification to the kind of sisterhood [hermandad] and recreation that we have together [tenemos juntas] But this is not what did but the manner in which the sisters proceeded» (F 13, 5; 10,4).  Teresa had the permission from the provincial, and license from the General to make the foundation in Duruelo.  Teresa beside some schillings (dinerillos) a few things for the new foundation gives gave him a crucifix for the chapel and also some letter of recommendation.

Duruelo – Mancera -  

In the summer of 1568 John begins journey from Avila to Duruelo via Valladolid  and Medina del Campo. On the way he is accompanied by a stonemason don Rafael Múxica in Valladolid (F 13,3).  He arrived in Duruelo on June 30 1568.  Arriving to the place John had changed his black habit of the Calced and changed into the brown of the discalced which had been prepared for him by the nuns of Valladolid and Medina. After the first night the following day work began. John becomes a worker taking orders from Don Rafael and they begin to transform the small house, that first day «they worked from sun to sun».         

            The opening ceremony of the community was on first Sunday of Advent on the 28 of November.  Mass was celebrated by the Provincial (Fr. Alonso Gonzalez, provincial de Castilla), attending were Antonio and John of Saint Matias and assisting was deacon fray Jose.  From this day the community had decided to change their name Fr. Antonio de Jesus, Juan de la Cruz, Jose de Cristo. They had adopted and promised to live by the Primitive Rule and had left the one that was mitigated by Eugene IV.  Saint Teresa would later recall: “Mass was said in that little stall of Bethlehem, which I believe was not any better …. And she continues … The house was not so bad for Him, yet it seemed that they had great joy in it.”  (F 14, 4, 6) – N.B.  Biographers of the Spanish Congregation in the first half of the 17^th century would dedicate several pages regarding John of the Cross and the solemn beginning of the reform on 28 of November 1568.  The thesis held by the these biographers was hold the argument that indeed John was the first Discalced Carmelite in other words that he was the Carmelite friars who had first discalced or the first Discalced Carmelite hermit even the first Reformed Carmelite or Reformer and model of the Discalced.   It is affirmed by the same biographers that in Saint Teresa’s desire to have John arrive at Duruelo before fr. Antonio was so that John would be the first man who have given shape to the Reform.   

            By Ash Wednesday February 23, 1569 the following year, Fr. Alonso, provincial of Castilla, had raised their status to priory and novitiate by naming Fr. Antonio de Jesus (Heredia) to prior and John of the Cross as novice master.  Two had entered together Juan Bautista, from Avila, a priest candidate and Pedro de los Angeles from Lazahita, province of Avila, a brother candidate. St. Teresa had visited Duruelo during that same season of Lent as she was on the way to the foundation in Toledo, from Valladolid (F 14, 6).  We owe to Teresa the news of the life of prayer and intense apostolate or ministry in which this community had committed themselves in preaching, confession, catechism and religious education to the surrounding villages.  Teresa, although content with the life of prayer and apostolate, she was not too convinced about the way in which they lived the rigor of penance (F 14,12) And despite of her plea for moderation she recalls “ they listened very little to what I said”.  It is suffices to say that St. Teresa was satisfied in all things except their excessive penance. (what excessive penances was she referring to --- no documentation, but probably fasting, and being unshod in cold weather) --- 

NB  Biographers of the 17^th again dedicate several chapters on the rigorous and penitential aspect of the Discalced Reform in Duruelo.  These authors focus not on their life of mortification and prayer but apply their life to a model of the Regular life of the 17^th.  Needless to say the aspect of their service to the surrounding community in their apostolate remained went silent.

            The first foundation of the Discalced Carmelites in Duruelo is abandoned.  By June 11, 1570 St. Teresa sees a better possibility for the community just a few kilometres away in Mancera in the district of Salamanca (F 14,9).  The transfer is approved by the Provincial and by October of the same year both novices make their profession in the new house in Mancera.  --- NB.  Mancera continued as a Carmelite community for the next thirty years (1600).  It was never a novitiate that was never too numerous.  During its existence only 43 novices had professed.  The glory of Mancera was that it was the place where John of the Cross had lived his vocation as formator of the Teresian Carmel both of postulants and novices.

            Before the foundation in Mancera a second house had opened in Pastrana (Castilla la Nueva and benefactors los principes de Eboli, Ruy Gomez de Silva and Ana de Mendoza y de la Cerda in 1569) A hermitage in the lands own by these princesses two Italian lay hermits take the Discalced habits Ambrosio Azzaro 59 and Juan Tarduch 43 (Mariano  and Juan de la Miseria – painter painting of St. Teresa, F 17,11)).    The following years from 1571 it became a second novitiate.  Here Jeronimo Gracian had become a novice on May 25 1572 (he had indicated that at that time there were 30 novices.  By 1571 a house of studies is opened in the University city of Alcala (de Henares) John of the Cross is named as Rector of the House of Studies by the visitator apostolic Pedro Fernandez. His pedagogy, norms and principles had rested on the following maxim:  Religioso y estudiante, Religioso por delante… religious and student, religious first. --- NB.  The presence of John of the Cross in the novitiate of Pastrana.  Again the biographers of the 17^th century convinced of John’s primacy as being the first Carmelite in taking the Discalced habit were also convinced that he should be the first Discalced Carmelite formator in Pastrana to give an authentic form of the primitive life to the firsts novices of Duruelo, Mancera, Pastrana and Alcala.  However, there is no evidence or documentation that he had any association with the novitiate in Pastrana given the fact that the dates of appointments to  Mancera and Alcala make it historically impossible.

Avila monastery of the Encarnacion ---  

St. Teresa takes over as prioress la Encarnacion in Avila and at her request to Visitator Apostolic Pedro Fernandez, OP has John of the Cross appointed as the community’s confessor toward the end of May of  1572 until 1577.  These five years in Avila together with his arrest and imprisonment the following year in 1578 were important events that tested his life and shaped him in sanctity and spiritual maturity seen in his writings and teachings. 

            During his time as confessor to the nuns in Avila he had also dedicated in various ministries both sacramental and spiritual direction such as chaplain to the Augustinian nuns and other laity such as Teresa’s brother  Lorenzo de Cepeda.  These simple activities by John were means to identify the new Teresian charism with the first discalced Carmelites. – NB Those five years as confessor in Avila can be objectively evaluated by Loss and Gain.  Why Loss ?   Because the transfer of John of the Cross from the House of Studies in Alcala cut short his mission as educator in that important centre of formation, and possible reform to the novitiate in Pastrana. The necessity of having expert formators to show the young religious the way of new Teresian charism  Why Gain? Because the misfortune of not having John of the Cross in the young discalced communities became paramount instead for the future of the Universal Church in the outcome of events that transpired thereafter.  As we had mentioned earlier the Nuncio Apostolic, Ornamento died on June 8, 1577 and the reform for religious communities changed with the appointment his replacement, Bishop Sega.  Gracian in Madrid at that time had asked the Royal Court if indeed his patent given to him by Ornamento were still valid. The response was that until he had finished his work it was still valid.  

San Jose de Avila ---  

As commissary of the discalced nuns and friars, Gracian had intervened in the juridical transfer of the monastery of San Jose in Avila and the transfer of conventuality of Teresa.  The juridical transfer from the Local Ordinary to that of the Order, requested by Saint Teresa, was due to the new appointment of Bishop Alvaro de Mendoza as the new bishop of Palencia.  The transfer of Teresa to San Jose in Avila occurred on August 31, 1577.  Teresa, during her two years in that monastery would complete her work The Interior Castle on November of the same month.  In Christmas of 1577 she had fallen from the stairs and broken her arm.  She would then be accompanied by her infirmarian Ana de San Bartolome.

Election of the Prioress at the Encarnacion --- 

By the fall of 1577 it was the end of the triennium and the election for the new Prioress of the Encarnacion was at hand.  It was made clear that Teresa would not have any license or permission from Gracian to return to the Encarnacion. It was judged by the Provincial of Castile, Juan Gutierrez and the Vicar General, Tostado, that Teresa was not a member of that community. With threats of excommunication if nuns were to vote for Teresa, Tostado had sent two letters to be read before the votation warning of electing any nun outside the community.  The nuns heard the letters read in silence and proceeded with the votation.  Out of 98 nuns 54 voted for Teresa and 39 for Ana de Toledo.  Enraged for this outcome the Provincial accused those 54 nuns of disobedience and had applied the threat of excommunication (MHCT I, doc. 146, pp 433-437)

 

Abduction and imprisonment --- 

Teresa, who was right in the middle of this upheaval, begged the nuns to obey and begged Tostado and Gutierrez and even the Nuncio not to proceed with the penalties. However, the Nuncio was not going to intervene because he had just recently arrived to his post in Madrid and needed time to get up to speed.  Nor was Tostado, Vicar General, going to make a move since he had been accused by the Royal Court of abuse of power.  The job was left to the Provincial of Castile, Juan Gutierrez who carried out the order from the Royal Court of appointing Ana de Toledo as prioress and withdrawing the threat of communication from the 54 nuns at the Encarnacion.  

Gutierrez had delegated the prior of Toledo, fray Hernando Maldonado adding to the mandate an instruction to withdraw the two Discalced Carmelites friars from their ministry at the Encarnacion: John of the Cross and German de San Matias. All conditions were favourable for their removal from Avila; Ornamento was dead, Sega was new and not yet  knowledgeable of the situation, the presidency of the Royal Council was vacant due to the death of its chairman, the Bishop of Avila, a friend of the reform, had been appointed in Palencia, and Avila still awaited an appointment.  John of the Cross and German de San Matias were taken from their residence during the night of November 3 and 4 and were taken to unknown locations  eventually taken to the prison in the Carmelite monastery of Toledo.  Teresa is not sure of their whereabouts believing to be some where in Avila she begs the King to intervene.

                      

Reason for imprisonment --- 

Why were John and German taken from Avila from the Encarnacion and their ministry in such a violent way without any notification, at night in hiding?  It seemed very clear to the Calced Carmelites that with the high numbers of nuns at the Encarnacion favoring Teresa as prioress or better yet favoring what she symbolized, that is, the Reform they did not want any danger of loosing the monastery of La Encarnacion (emblematic symbol of Avila and the most important monastery of the Province of Castile) into the hand of the Discalced Carmelites.   It is possible that those nuns by voting Teresa prioress and having the two discalced friars present the monastery would be transformed into a Discalced community. We know today that the apprehension of John and German was related to their job as confessors and not as “activists” for Teresa’s reform.  There is no evidence to show that they were either in favour or not to the election of Teresa for prioress at the Encarnacion.  The truth of the matter is that as long as Teresa risked in being made prioress at the Encarnation, John would remain in jail in Toledo and German in San Pedro de la Moraleja.  Juan de Padilla a member of the Council of the Royal Court advocated for the return of Teresa as prioress at the Encarnation.  However, by July 1578  Juan de Padilla was removed from the Royal Court, by the new nuncio, Sega, and was imprisoned by the Spanish Inquisition.  At the same time all faculties and patents were removed and withdrawn from Jeronimo Gracian on July 23, 1578.  Now there was no possibility of Teresa becoming prioress or any tumult by rebel nuns, thus reason to detain John of the Cross in the prison in Toledo disappear all together.  No threat of loosing the monastery of the Encarnacion existed any more.

 

Escape or release ? --  

What can we say in a historical manner.  Did he escape or was he released? There is evidence that shows that his escape/release was foreseen. And the first to furnish us this clue is Teresa herself in a letter written to Gracian August  22 “ I have before me what they have done to John of the Cross, how God had suffer alike … during all nine months he was in a small prison in which he did not even fit, being small and did not change tunic, he was close to death but three days before he was released the subprior gave him a shirt”  The second clue is given by the jailer and caretaker in his last three months of imprisonment, Bro. Juan de Santa Maria, stated during the process for his beatification - canonization: “on the last days of his imprisonment, he [John] called me and asked for two things: forgiveness and as recompense of all the work offered me a crucifix”  This same brother witnesses to the severe treatment by the friars… the narrow prison with poor lighting and penances imposed such as brining him several times to the refectory in order to impose to him the discipline which was conducted by the friars themselves.  Yet, Bro. Juan de Santa Maria attests that never once did he complain, but remained silent throughout.  It was during his imprisonment that he composed the Romances  “In Principio era Verbum” and the poem about psalm Over the River of Babylon “Super flumina Babilonis” and the Canticle [until strophe 31] and the poem “La fonte” .  Having examined what remains of evidence regarding the imprisonment of John of the Cross and with no threat of the monastery of la Encarnacion falling into the hands of the Discalced we can say that his departure from the prison was about a simple release rather than an escape.  The simple release from prison better explains how he was able to take with him the notebooks and papers in which he had written his poems and behaviour.  There is no evidence or historical base to indicate divine help of the Virgin or miraculous interventions as described by many biographers and hagiographers of the Saint.