April 17 Free San Juan de la Cruz history tour in Caravaca
St John of the Cross was canonized 300 years ago and made a Doctor of the Church 100 years ago
San Juan de la Cruz (1542-91) was a Catholic priest and mystic and a Carmelite friar who spent various years in Caravaca, which he visited seven times, at times as an envoy of Santa Teresa de Jesús and at other times in his role as head of the Carmelite order in Andalucía. Among his work in the city of Caravaca was overseeing the spirituality of the convent of the barefoot Carmelites, founded by Santa Teresa de Jesús, and the founding of the monastery of the same order under the name of Nuestra Señora del Carmen.
He is known mainly for his mystical writings, which some consider to be among the most important works of all Spanish literature. He was made a saint by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726, and 200 years later Pope Pius XI declared him one of the 38 ”Doctors of the Church”: he is sometimes referred to as the "mystical doctor".
So this year marks the 300th and 100th anniversaries of his promotion to the higher ranks of Catholic sanctity, and in acknowledgement of this a free guided tour is being held on Friday 17th April in which participants will learn more about the time Juan spent in the city of Caravaca. The tour includes the convent he founded and the house where he always stayed when in this part of the world, which is currently being restored by the Town Hall to make in commemoration of his contribution to the importance of the city.
The visit, which is held in Spanish, begins at 10.30 at the Templete and is completely free of charge, although prior registration is required through the regional tourist board website here.
For more local events, news and visiting information contact the local tourist office (telephone 968 702424) or go to the home page of Caravaca Today.
Address
Calle De Las Monjas, 19, 30400 CARAVACA DE LA CRUZTel: 968 702424 / 968 701003
Caravaca de la Cruz tourist office
More information about the places of interest which can be visited in the municipality of Caravaca de la Cruz, along with what's on and local news can be found in the Caravaca Today.
Caravaca de la Cruz, in the north-west of the Region of Murcia, is one of only 5 Holy Cities in the Roman Catholic world, a centre of pilgrimage, along with Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela and Santo Toribio de Liebana, and is home to the Cross of Caravaca, the Vera Cruz.
The status of Holy City was bestowed by Pope John Paul II in 1998, granting the City a Permanent Jubilee year every 7 years for perpetuity, the first one held in 2003 and the next in 2024.
The strategic and natural advantages of Caravaca de la Cruz have attracted the attention of settlers for more than 800,000 years, the Cueva Negra yielding remains of Homo Heidelbergensis, forbears of the Neanderthals and the municipality also houses important archaeological remains from the Argaric, Iberian and Roman cultures. many of these can be seen in the Municipal Archaeological Museum.
As a border town caught between the Catholic forces of Castille and the last remaining Moorish stronghold in Spain, Granada, Caravaca had a turbulent medieval history, but it was during this period that the legend of the Cross of Caravaca was born, bringing the religious orders which shaped the structure of Caravaca today, with its impressive hilltop castle and eclectic collection of churches and monasteries, religious tourism today being a backbone of the town´s economy.
Caravaca de la Cruz is a municipality with important natural resources, including extensive forests, part of which have protected status due to their wealth of flora and fauna, and due to the abundant water supplies is also a major area for canned fruit production, apricots in particular being an important crop.
Caravaca is renown for its important May Fiestas, held in honour of the Vera Cruz, which also incorporate the Moors and Christians celebrations and the Running of the Wine Horses.
Caravaca de la Cruz is also the home of Europe´s largest collection of ethnic instruments at Barranda, the Museo de Música Étnica Barranda and is the location of the Barranda festival de Cuadrillas, which celebrates the Region's ethnic music traditions.
The municipality is home to around 26,000 inhabitants and shares boundaries with Moratalla, Cehegín, Lorca, Puebla de Don Fadrique in the province of Granada and Vélez-Blanco in the province of Almería.
Tourist office opening times:
Weekdays: 10.00 to 14.00 and 16.30 to 19.30
Saturdays: 10.30 to 14.00 and 16.30 to 19.30
Sundays and public holidays: 10.30 to 14.00
Click for map, Caravaca de la Cruz Tourist Office
