S Juan del Cruce

St John of the Cross 1542 - 1591 a Spanish saint and mystic , Carmelite priest and Friar and one of the
33 Doctors of the Church.   'La Santa Uno' as the Spanish call him.  He died aged 49 with erysipelis a
skin infection easily cured today with penicillin.  
Years ago when we visited the Convento del Incarnacion in Avila where he lived for many years we saw a
sketch, very ancient and quite unprotected except for a glass case of the crucifixion of Jesus viewed from the back of the Christ's head and the notice on the case said it was an actual sketch by St John of the Cross.
It was some years later when I came across the painting by Salvador Dali which was named 'The Christ of St John of the Cross and an obvious copy of the original we had seen in Avila.  Next time we went to Avila
was some years later and it was still there in the same room at the Convento but now it was kept in a special box with special lights, temperature and some security but it did not seem so exciting somehow as when we
had first come across it and the Sisters had not been advised as to it's worth.   Sad but glad - it will be
preserved for another 400 years hopefully.