John the Hermit
Juan de Ortega links here, for the bishop, see Juan de Ortega (bishop)
| Saint John the Hermit | |
|---|---|
| Born |
1050 Quintanaortuño, Spain |
| Died | 1143 |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Major shrine | San Juan de Ortega |
Juan de Ortega, better known as Saint John the Hermit (c. 1050 – 1143), was born near Burgos, Spain, and became a priest at a young age. As he was returning by sea from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, his ship encountered a dangerous storm that threatened to sink it.
After safely arriving in Spain, John sought a place of solitude where he could devote himself to contemplation. He erected a hermitage for himself at a forested site known as Urteca or Ortega (Spanish for "nettle"), situated on the pilgrim road to Spain’s most popular shrine, Santiago de Compostela.[1]
An area frequented by bandits, it was considered as one of the more dangerous stretches of the pilgrimage route. John built a pilgrim hospice and founded the monastery of San Juan de Ortega.[1] He also built a church in honor of Saint Nicholas, to whose intercession he attributed his deliverance from the storm at sea. He devoted his manual labors to the construction and repair of bridges and roads for the pilgrim route to Compostela. Shortly before his death, John offered special prayers for the peace of the Church and for the faithful departed. He was an associate and companion of Dominic de la Calzada.[1]