San Juan de la Cruz: Patron Saint of La Carolina

Yesterday was November the 24th, and something big started happening in La Carolina: the festival of the town's patron saint (San Juan de la Cruz).

Here's what I have managed to gather in terms of his history, with the help of St John of the Cross, New Advent, and La Orden Carmelita en Málaga, by Eduardo Postigo Pérez, and a few other sites!

Short version:  He was an important figure in the the order of Discalced Carmelites.  He was born into an extremely poor family and, eventually, realised that it was his calling to serve God.  He worked with St Teresa of Jesus, who was reforming the Carmelites in Spain.  He founded many convents in Andalucia, and apparently lived in La Carolina at one point.  He eventually died in Ubeda, which is about 40 minutes from La Carolina by car.

As an aside, according to Pope Benedict XVI, Saint John of the Cross is also considered to be one of the most important lyrical poets in Spanish literature.

Long version:
He was born Juan de Yepes, on the 24th of June, 1542, in Fontiberos, Castilla Vieja.  His family was extremely poor.  While he was a bright pupil, he couldn't seem to learn a trade.  After helping in the local hospital, caring for the poorest of the poor and attending a Jesuit school, he realised that his calling was to serve God.

He took the robes in Medina, a Carmelite order, in February 1563, as Juan de San Matías.  In 1567, after further studies, he became a priest.  However, he became overwhelmed with all of his responsibilities, and disillusioned with the leadership, and almost converted to the Carthusian order.

His friend Saint Teresa convinced him to stay with the Carmelite order.  She was heading a reformation, as she wanted to return to "the Primitive Rule embodying Carmel's first ideals." Juan worked with her in several different areas of Spain: initially helping to train novices, and eventually as director and confessor.

In 1577, Juan de la Cruz was ordered to return to the house of Medina, and was imprisoned in Toledo when he refused to do so.  After almost a year of imprisonment in awful conditions, he miraculously escaped.  For the next few years, he founded and directed monasteries in many areas in Andalucia.

After Saint Teresa died, Juan (now vicar of Andalucia) rejected a change in the distribution of power in the order.  This apparently disgusted one of his superiors, who sent him away to one of the poorest monasteries.

He then fell seriously ill, and retired to the monastery in Ubeda.  Unfortunately, due to his treatment there, he spent the rest of his life fulfilling his prayer: to suffer and be despised.

However, in the end, even his enemies had to recognise his sanctity.  He was canonised on the 27th of December, 1726.



San Juan in La Carolina

San Juan de la Cruz is not the only patron saint of La Carolina and, for this reason, he has to share the glory with San Carlos.  For instance, in the traditional procession, both San Juan and San Carlos are carried through the streets.

A statue of San Juan de la Cruz outside the Church of la Inmaculada, La Carolina.

The hymn of La Carolina includes the following verse:

Por esa tierra de Jaén
renace el vergel
de San Juan de la Cruz.
La Carolina le hizo patrón
y aquí quedó como andaluz.

This is as well as I can translate it:
In this part of Jaen (province)
the orchard of St John of the Cross
was reborn.
La Carolina made him their patron saint
and there he stays: Andalucian.