St. John of the Cross was a priest and a reformer of the Carmelite Order. He was born June 24th, 1542, and died in 1591. Both his poetry and his studies on the growth of the soul are considered one of the peaks of all Spanish Literature.  St. John of the Cross is considered one of the foremost poets in the Spanish language. Two of his poems—the Spiritual Canticle and Dark Night of the Soul are considered masterpieces of Spanish poetry for their style, rich symbolism, and imagery.  He is one of the thirty-three Doctors of the Church.