GIOVANNI OF JESUS MARIA. — Mystical theologian of the Discalced Carmelites, born Francesco Quiroga in 1562 at Castro Caldelas (diocese of Astorga), died at Cuenca on 13 December 1629. Having earned degrees in both civil and canon law and already serving as a canon of the cathedral of Toledo, he entered the Carmelite Order and was ordained priest at Madrid on 2 February 1595. He became the first official historian of the Order in 1597. He distinguished himself by a life of perfect asceticism. In his writings he defended the doctrine of St Teresa of Jesus and St John of the Cross.
Besides many historical works, he wrote the following mystical treatises: *Subida del alma a Dios y entrada en el paraiso* (2 vols., Madrid 1656, 1659, 1675; Italian trans. by Fr Baldassarre [v.], Rome 1664); *Concordancia de la doctrina de N. Madre S. Teresa de Jesús con la sagrada escritura*, etc.; *Apologia mistica en defensa de la contemplación divina* (Biblioteca nacional, Madrid, ms. 4,478); *Don que tuvo s. Juan de la Cruz para guiar las mas* (published in *Obras de s. Juan*, III, Toledo 1912, pp. 503–570); *Tratado de la oración y contemplación*, etc. (manuscript); *Escala Mistica* (manuscript); *Una defensa brevísima de la doctrina de s. Teresa de Jesús y de s. Juan de la Cruz* (Biblioteca nacional, Madrid, ms. 8,273).