Joseph of Cupertino
Joseph of Cupertino | |
|---|---|
St. Joseph of Cupertino is lifted in flight, by Placido Costanzi (17th century) | |
| Confessor | |
| Born | Giuseppe Desa 17 June 1603 Copertino, Terra di Otranto, Kingdom of Naples |
| Died | 18 September 1663 (aged 60) Osimo, Marche, Papal States |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church (Franciscans) |
| Beatified | 24 February 1753, Rome, Papal States by Pope Benedict XIV |
| Canonized | 16 July 1767, Rome, Papal States by Pope Clement XIII |
| Major shrine | Basilica of St. Joseph of Copertino, Piazza Gallo, 10, Osimo, Ancona, Italy |
| Feast | 18 September |
| Patronage | The City of Copertino and the City of Osimo, aviation, astronauts, mental handicaps, examinations, students |
Joseph of Cupertino (Copertino), OFM Conv. (Italian: Giuseppe da Copertino; 17 June 1603 – 18 September 1663) was an Italian Conventual Franciscan friar who is honored as a Christian mystic and saint. According to traditional Franciscan accounts, he was "remarkably unclever", but experienced miraculous levitation and ecstatic visions throughout his life which made him the object of scorn.
He applied to the Conventual Franciscan friars, but was rejected due to his lack of education. He then pleaded with them to serve in their stables. After several years of working there, he had impressed the friars so much with the devotion and simplicity of his life that in 1625 he was admitted to their Order, destined to become a priest.
His struggles in being ordained to the priesthood required two providential coincidences involving his exams. These incidents have earned him the title of the patron of students, exam takers and those with learning difficulties or disabilities, while his levitation has earned him the patronage of pilots and those traveling by air.