John of Ruusbroec

Blessed John van Ruysbroeck Can. Reg.
The blessed John van Ruysbroeck
Doctor Divinus Ecstaticus
Born	c. 1293–4 Ruisbroek, Duchy of Brabant, Holy Roman Empire
Died	2 December 1381(1381-12-02) (aged 87–88) Groenendael, Duchy of Brabant, Holy Roman Empire
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	9 December 1908 by Pope Pius X
Feast	2 December
Attributes	canonical habit

John of Ruusbroec
John of Ruysbroek by Antony van der Does
Born	Jan van Ruysbroeck
Notable work	The Sparkling Stone The Spiritual Espousals
Era	medieval philosophy mysticism
Region	Western philosophy Rheno-Flemish spirituality
Main interests	Theology, ascetic theology, mystical theology
Notable ideas	Passion of Christ, ascetism, detachment, humility, charity, Christian universalism

John of Ruusbroec or Jan van Ruusbroec (pronounced [ˈjɑɱ vɑn ˈryzbruk]; 1293/1294 – 2 December 1381), sometimes modernized Ruysbroeck, was an Augustinian canon and one of the most important of the medieval mystics of the Low Countries. Some of his main literary works include The Kingdom of the Divine Lovers, The Twelve Beguines, The Spiritual Espousals, A Mirror of Eternal Blessedness, The Little Book of Enlightenment, and The Sparkling Stone. Some of his letters also survive, as well as several short sayings (recorded by some of his disciples, such as Jan van Leeuwen). He wrote in the Dutch vernacular, the language of the common people of the Low Countries, rather than in Latin, the language of the Catholic Church liturgy and official texts, in order to reach a wider audience.