Joseph of Cupertino

Saint Joseph of Cupertino was born on June 17, 1603, in the village of Cupertino in Apulia, Italy. His father had died before his birth, and family poverty was so severe that Joseph was born in a stable. From childhood he experienced ecstatic visions, and his simplicity and struggles with learning often drew ridicule. Longing to belong wholly to God, he sought religious life; after being rejected for lack of education and briefly dismissed from the Capuchins, he humbly begged the Conventual Franciscans to let him serve in their stables. His quiet devotion won their hearts, and he was admitted in 1625. Though he found studies painfully difficult, providence guided his examinations, and he was ordained a priest on March 28, 1628. In prayer—especially at Mass and the Divine Office—he was often overcome by ecstasy, with reports of miraculous levitation that spread his reputation for holiness even as they led to confinement and transfers under scrutiny. He practiced severe asceticism and deep humility until his death at Osimo on September 18, 1663. He is invoked especially by students, exam takers, and those with learning difficulties, as well as pilots and air travelers, and is patron of Copertino and Santa Rosa Department. His feast day is September 18.