The article deals with the philosophy of Jankélévitch, in which words such as unknowable, what cannot be expressed are present, and it brings the idea of ambiguous, unfathomable, not separable. This does not mean that his philosophy deals with a chaotic or fruitless reality of what cannot be expressed, but it means that he proposes, in his description of reality, another way of watching the World beyond the real, touchable and specific World, inviting us to contemplate and experience the “I-do-not-what” which surrounds us, which is expressed especially through art. This article addresses a comparison between the mystical experiences of John of the Cross (1542-1591) and the concept of what cannot be expressed of the philosopher Vladmir Jankélévicth (1903-1985). First of all, a brief biography of John of the Cross is presented, stressing his historical context and the “Place” which he describes. Then the article makes an analysis of the poem “Ectasis of High Contemplation”, to stress the elements which are present in the poem, and that help us to approach to Jankélévicth’s philosophy.

Catholic Tradition | Philosophy and Religion | Religious Studies