What is the Dark Night of the Soul?

How do I know if I am in the Dark Night of the Soul or if I just have dryness if prayer? The Dark Night is a metaphor used by St. John of the Cross to express ways that God purifies a soul and brings it deeper into union with Him. In this episode, Fr. Pier Giorgio, OCD, returns to talk with Jessica about the writings of St. John of the Cross related to the Dark Night. Jess and Fr. Pier Giorgio discuss: What is the Dark Night of the Soul? What is the Dark Night of the Senses? What are signs that a person might be experiencing the Dark Night? How can a person tell the difference between the Dark Night vs. dryness in prayer vs. depression? Fr. Pier Giorgio Pacelli, OCD, is a Discalced Carmelite Friar and the Managing Editor of the Institute of Carmelite Studies Publications. He currently studies Language, Literature, and Translation at UW-Milwaukee.