Spanish mystics

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The "Spanish Mystics" are major figures in the Catholic Reformation of 16th and 17th century Spain. As part of the general movement in Catholicism at that time to reform the church structurally and renew itself spiritually, the Spanish mystics attempted to do what is in reality impossible---to express in words the experience of mystical communion with Christ.

These writers were a principal influence in the development of the Spanish Language which ushered in the Golden Age of Spanish literature, and a bridge between the rather coarse language at the beginning of the period to the high baroque style of Spanish which in certain forms, especially in formal letter-writing, continues to influence Spanish usage to the present.

In addition to being examples of Christian holiness and major Spanish literary figures, the Spanish mystics were also real reformers in the Church. Their writings inspired a religious quest for God based on desire rather than obligation and medieval legalism, and three of them went on to found or reform religious orders that would carry on their work across continents and centuries.

Principal figures and their major writings

• St. Theresa of Avila

• The Interior Castle
• The Way of Perfection

• St. John of the Cross (poet)

• The Dark Night of the Soul
• Ascent of Mount Carmel

• St. Ignatius of Loyola

• The Spiritual Exercises
• Autobiography

• St. Francis de Borja
• Fray Luis Ponce de Leon (poet)
• Fernando de Herrera (poet)
• Luis Gongora y Argote (poet)
• Ramon Lull (philosopher)