YEPES, FRANCISCO de. - Carmelite tertiary, brother of s. Giovanni della Croce, b. in 1530 at Fontiveros (Avila), d. 30 Nov. 1607 at Medina del Campo.
A humble weaver, after a most pious youth he married Anna Isquierda, by whom he had eight children. Very dear to s. Giovanni della Croce, he remained close to him for a long time in several convents of the Carmelite Reform, following his spiritual teachings. Full of faith and devotion to the Madonna, he attained a high degree of perfection, also thanks to the wise spiritual direction of the Jesuits, by whom he was guided for more than forty years. Esteemed for his holiness, his charisms, and the power of his prayer, after his death he was unanimously called venerable. Some of his precious testimonies concerning s. Giovanni della Croce are preserved in MSS 12,738 and 8568 of the National Library of Madrid.