Product Description

St. John of the Cross (1542-1591) was one of the greatest mystics and religious poets in Christian history. One of his most famous works is “The Dark Night of the Soul.” The dark night refers both to a period of intense suffering and to a stage in a life devoted to contemplative discipline. John, like his close associate St. Teresa of Ávila, was a Carmelite who tried to reform the order. For his efforts, John was imprisoned for nine months by fellow Carmelites in horrendous conditions: he was beaten, nearly starved, and allowed to see light only a few moments a day. After living this dark night, he, near death, miraculously escaped. The dark night, then, refers to a period of suffering and alienation, at the end of which one gains enlightenment.

This statue, which was hand carved by Hank Schlau and hand painted by Karen Schlau, incorporates many of the symbols in John’s poem “The Dark Night of the Soul,” a poem about the stages of mystical prayer, the final level being unification with “the beloved” (the divine), here depicted as a child. The poem, thus, is ultimately about rising from suffering to knowledge and peace. This St. John of the Cross statue fits perfectly into the Lousiana Tiled Niche (Item #2007909).

9 x 4 x 2 inches