John the Hermit

Saint John the Hermit (or Juan de Ortega) (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 may have founded the monastery of San Juan de Ortega, named after him. He erected a hermitage for himself at a forested site known as Urteca or Ortega (meaning nettle in English), situated on the pilgrim road to Spain’s most popular shrine, Santiago de Compostela. He also built a church in honor of Saint Nicholas, to whose intercession he attributed his deliverance from the storm...