Blessed John of Spain
Blessed John of Spain (Spanish: Juan de España; Latin: Johannes Hispanus; died 1160 AD at Valbuena de Duero, Castile, Spain) was a Spanish Cistercian monk, a disciple of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, who founded and became the first abbot of the monastery of Santa María de Valbuena. He is venerated as a Blessed of the Cistercian Order. His feast day is observed on June 25.
Drawn to the reformed monastic life of Cîteaux, John was formed at Clairvaux under Saint Bernard and sent back to his native Spain to spread the Cistercian Order. He established Valbuena on the banks of the Duero and governed it in sanctity.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed John of Spain
| Blessed John of Spain | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | June 25 |
| Profession | Cistercian monk; founding abbot of Valbuena |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Cistercian Order |
| Patronage | The monastery of Valbuena; Cistercian monks in Spain |
| Attributes | Cistercian habit; abbot's staff; the monastery church |
| Birthplace | Spain |
| Death Place | Valbuena de Duero, Castile, Spain |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; Cistercian monk, disciple of Saint Bernard, and founding abbot of the monastery of Valbuena |
| Primary Shrine | Monastery of Santa María de Valbuena, Spain |
Biography
John of Spain—known in Latin as Johannes Hispanus—was a Spaniard who, in the first half of the twelfth century, was drawn to the reformed monastic life of the Cistercian Order, then spreading rapidly through the influence of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.
He went to Clairvaux and was formed there as a monk under Saint Bernard himself, becoming one of the many disciples whom Bernard sent out to found new houses and carry the Cistercian reform across Europe. John returned to his native Castile to plant the Order there.
He founded the monastery of Santa María de Valbuena, on the banks of the river Duero, and became its first abbot, governing it in a spirit of Cistercian observance, prayer, and work. He was esteemed for his holiness and his fidelity to the ideals he had learned at Clairvaux.
John of Spain died at Valbuena in 1160. He was venerated as a Blessed of the Cistercian Order, and his feast is observed on June 25. Because the records are chiefly monastic, some particulars of his early life are not precisely known.
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Feast day
June 25
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