Joseph of Cupertino
Festa: September 18
Humble friar with learning disabilities and documented levitation phenomena.
Patronato
Astronauts, aviators, pilots, students, people with learning difficulties, the mentally ill, those seeking divine grace
Virtù e caratteristiche
Biografia
Joseph of Cupertino (1603-1663) was an Italian Capuchin friar known for extraordinary mystical experiences and reputed miraculous levitations that occurred hundreds of times throughout his life, witnessed by numerous credible observers including cardinals and bishops. Despite severe learning difficulties and limited formal education, he demonstrated profound spiritual wisdom and was eventually ordained as a priest. His ecstatic states of prayer were so intense that he would levitate several feet above the ground, sometimes for extended periods. The Church investigated his phenomena extensively, and while remaining cautious, never condemned them as fraudulent. Joseph's life exemplified that spiritual sanctity transcends intellectual achievement. He faced considerable skepticism from ecclesiastical authorities but was eventually recognized for his genuine piety. His levitations became subjects of scientific curiosity centuries later, and his feast day celebrates mystical spirituality and the supernatural grace accessible to humble souls devoted to God.