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Saint Joseph of Cupertino is remembered as a humble Franciscan friar who amazed many people with his deep faith and unusual spiritual gifts. He is especially known for moments of levitation during prayer, which led people to call him the “Flying Saint.” Yet, behind these extraordinary events was a man who struggled with poverty, learning difficulties, and rejection for much of his life.
His story is not only about miracles but also about patience, humility, and trust in God when life seemed full of obstacles. Joseph reminds us that holiness is not about natural talent or intelligence, but about surrendering everything to God. The Church celebrates his feast day on September 18, honoring him as a patron of students, especially those facing examinations and difficulties in learning.
Quick Facts About Saint Joseph of Cupertino
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Born | June 17, 1603, in Copertino, Apulia, Kingdom of Naples (today Copertino, Italy) |
| Died | September 18, 1663, in Osimo, Marche, Papal States (today Osimo, Italy) |
| Category | Religious Priest, Confessor, Conventual Franciscan Friar |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Feast Day | September 18 (universal), also honored locally in Copertino and Osimo |
| Beatified | February 24, 1753, by Pope Benedict XIV |
| Canonized | July 16, 1767, by Pope Clement XIII |
Early Life
Joseph of Cupertino was born on June 17, 1603, in the small town of Copertino, in the Kingdom of Naples. His birth name in Italian was Giuseppe Maria Desa. His family was very poor. His father, Felice Desa, died before Joseph was born, leaving his mother, Francesca Panara, a widow with heavy debts. Because of this, Joseph grew up in great poverty, and his childhood was marked by hardship and struggle.
From an early age, Joseph faced difficulties that made life harder for him than for other children. He was often sick, weak, and had little natural ability in school. Many people thought he was slow in learning and clumsy in his actions. His poor health and lack of skill made him the subject of mockery among other children. Even his own relatives sometimes treated him harshly because they believed he was useless.
Despite this, Joseph was raised in a deeply Catholic environment. The culture of southern Italy at the time was strongly influenced by faith, with devotion to the Virgin Mary, the saints, and the sacraments being central to family and community life. His mother, though strict, passed on a deep sense of religion to him. As a boy, Joseph developed a simple love for prayer and showed an attraction to the things of God, even while struggling to fit into ordinary life.
Joseph also had a fiery temper when provoked, and at times he showed impatience and frustration. His poverty and awkwardness made him sensitive and easily angered, but over time, these early struggles helped him grow in humility. Later in life, he often reflected that his hardships had taught him to depend on God rather than on his own strength.
Thus, Joseph’s early years were filled with suffering, misunderstanding, and failure in the eyes of the world. But these same experiences shaped him into a man of deep trust in God, ready to follow a path of holiness that would surprise everyone around him.
Religious Life and Calling
As Joseph grew older, his longing to serve God became stronger, even though almost everyone around him doubted his ability to do so. His poor memory and lack of education made it hard for him to follow lessons, and he often failed at simple tasks. Because of this, he was rejected several times when he tried to enter religious communities. His first attempts to join the Capuchin friars ended quickly because his clumsiness made daily duties impossible.
But Joseph did not give up. In 1620, after years of disappointment, he was finally accepted by the Conventual Franciscans at the shrine of Our Lady of Grace in his hometown of Copertino. Even there, he was not trusted at first, but his perseverance and humility convinced the friars to allow him to remain as a servant. His obedience and prayerful spirit gradually earned their respect, and in time, he was permitted to study for the priesthood.
The path to ordination was not easy. Joseph struggled deeply with learning Latin, which was necessary for passing examinations. Often he failed, and many thought he would never succeed. Yet, something remarkable happened: during one of his examinations, he was asked to explain only one Gospel passage — the very passage he had studied and understood well. He passed by this unexpected grace, which his brothers saw as the hand of God guiding him. In 1628, he was ordained a priest.
During his years of preparation, Joseph also began experiencing unusual moments of ecstasy. When praying or hearing God’s name, he would sometimes fall into deep trances, lifted beyond ordinary awareness. These moments, though not fully understood by others, revealed his deep closeness to God. They also became one of the greatest challenges of his life, as his extraordinary experiences brought both wonder and suspicion.
Joseph’s calling was therefore not a straight or easy road. He was tested by rejection, failure, and humiliation. Yet through these struggles, his life showed that God often chooses what seems weak in the eyes of the world to reveal His power.
Major Contributions or Miracles
After his ordination in 1628, Joseph of Cupertino was given simple responsibilities within the Franciscan community, since his learning difficulties made him unsuited for complex teaching roles. He was often assigned to serve at shrines, assist in the sacristy, or help with humble tasks around the convent. Yet in these ordinary duties, Joseph became a powerful witness of holiness through his prayer, humility, and patience.
Joseph also served as a spiritual guide for pilgrims and ordinary people who came to him for advice. His words were not polished or scholarly, but his simplicity touched hearts. People noticed that he spoke with sincerity, encouraging them to trust God in their struggles. He did not found an order or write great works, but his life itself became a message of hope for those who felt weak or overlooked.
What made Joseph widely known were the extraordinary events that happened during his times of prayer. From around 1630, many witnesses testified that he would suddenly rise into the air during Mass, while praying the Divine Office, or when hearing the name of Jesus or Mary. These levitations were carefully documented and observed by fellow friars, Church authorities, and even important leaders. On one occasion, while visiting Rome, he was reported to have risen before Pope Urban VIII, who witnessed the event with awe.
Because these ecstasies happened without warning and caused public attention, Joseph’s superiors often had to move him from one convent to another. Instead of using his fame for himself, Joseph accepted these transfers with obedience. For more than 35 years, he lived in different Franciscan houses across Italy, including Assisi and Osimo. In each place, he continued a life of prayer, penance, and humble service.
The miracles connected to Joseph’s life were not limited to levitation. There are also accounts of him reading hearts — gently pointing out sins or struggles people had not confessed — which encouraged many to return to God. These events were investigated by Church authorities and contributed to his reputation as a man deeply united with God.
In all of this, Joseph never claimed greatness for himself. He always said that everything came from God and that he was only an instrument. His main contribution was not in founding institutions or writing books, but in showing that holiness is possible for the poor, the weak, and the simple.
Suffering, Persecution, or Martyrdom
Saint Joseph of Cupertino was not a martyr, but his life was marked by much suffering, misunderstanding, and suspicion. His extraordinary ecstasies and levitations, though signs of God’s presence to many, also caused concern for Church leaders. In the 17th century, the Catholic Church was cautious about unusual mystical experiences, especially during a time when false visions and superstitions were feared.
Because of this, Joseph was investigated by the Inquisition — the Church authority responsible for examining claims of miracles and mystical phenomena. Though no fault was found in his faith or morals, Joseph’s unusual gifts made some superiors uneasy. They worried that his presence in public could cause disorder, since crowds often gathered just to see him in prayer.
As a result, Joseph was frequently moved from one convent to another, often under strict obedience. He lived periods of isolation, being hidden away in small friaries where visitors were limited. For example, in 1639, he was transferred from Assisi to several remote convents, sometimes with little freedom, in order to avoid public disturbance.
Apart from these external trials, Joseph also suffered inwardly. He experienced ridicule for his lack of learning and was sometimes treated as though he were foolish. He endured feelings of rejection and loneliness, even from members of his own community. Yet, he accepted these humiliations with patience, seeing them as opportunities to grow closer to Christ in humility.
His sufferings were not the dramatic kind of physical torture or martyrdom, but they were real and painful. The constant suspicion, the forced isolation, and the weight of being misunderstood left deep marks on him. Still, Joseph bore them with obedience, never rebelling against his superiors or seeking to draw attention to himself.
In this way, his sufferings became part of his witness: he showed that holiness does not mean being admired, but being faithful to God even when rejected or hidden.
Death and Legacy
In the last years of his life, Saint Joseph of Cupertino lived in Osimo, a town in the Papal States, where he remained under obedience in a Franciscan convent. His health grew weaker with age, and after a period of illness, he died peacefully on September 18, 1663, at the age of 60. His death came quietly, without great crowds or attention, much like his life of hidden obedience.
Joseph was first buried in Osimo, and the faithful soon began to visit his tomb. Many came seeking his intercession, especially students and people struggling with exams or learning difficulties, since Joseph himself had suffered so much in this area. Reports of answered prayers and favors received at his grave increased devotion to him, and his reputation for holiness spread beyond Italy.
Over time, the Franciscans and local faithful preserved his memory with great care. His remains were kept in Osimo, where a shrine and church were later built in his honor. The basilica there remains an important pilgrimage site, attracting people from around the world. His birthplace, Copertino, also became a center of devotion, and today it holds relics and monuments that recall his life.
The impact of Joseph’s life grew stronger after his death. He became widely known as the patron saint of students and exam-takers, because of the way he overcame his struggles in studies and ordination through God’s help. His story encouraged people who felt weak or inadequate, reminding them that holiness is not about human brilliance but about faithfulness to God.
Joseph’s legacy continues today in many countries. Schools, parishes, and student groups invoke his intercession before tests and important challenges. His shrine in Osimo and his hometown of Copertino remain active places of prayer, keeping alive the memory of a man who, despite being considered poor and incapable, became a sign of God’s power working through human weakness.
Canonization and Veneration
After his death in 1663, devotion to Joseph of Cupertino spread quickly, especially among students and religious communities who saw in him an example of humility and perseverance. The Church carefully examined the testimonies of his life, his virtues, and the extraordinary mystical events that had been witnessed by so many.
On February 24, 1753, Pope Benedict XIV officially beatified Joseph in Rome. Fourteen years later, on July 16, 1767, Pope Clement XIII declared him a saint of the Catholic Church. His feast was placed on September 18, the anniversary of his death, and continues to be celebrated universally in the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar.
Today, Saint Joseph is honored in several important shrines:
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Basilica of San Giuseppe da Copertino in Osimo, where his body rests in a marble tomb. This is a major pilgrimage site, especially for students.
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San Giuseppe da Copertino Sanctuary in his hometown of Copertino, Apulia, which holds relics, memories of his early life, and serves as a local center of devotion.
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Churches and chapels around the world bear his name, especially in places connected to Franciscan communities and schools.
His relics are preserved mainly in Osimo and Copertino, and fragments have been distributed to some other churches. Pilgrims regularly visit these sites, praying for his intercession, particularly before examinations or important life challenges.
Saint Joseph’s veneration has also spread worldwide. In Italy, he remains a beloved local saint, with festivals and processions held in his honor. In other countries, especially in schools, universities, and seminaries, he is invoked by students facing difficult studies. His role as the patron saint of students, exam-takers, and those with learning disabilities continues to be one of the most widespread devotions connected to him.
Through these shrines, devotions, and his patronage, the Church keeps alive the memory of a man who struggled with weakness but became a model of trust in God.
Short Prayer for Intercession
Prayer to Saint Joseph of Cupertino
O Saint Joseph of Cupertino,
you who struggled with weakness and learning,
yet trusted God with a humble and patient heart,
be close to us in our own difficulties.Pray for students, especially those preparing for exams,
that they may find peace, courage, and wisdom.
Teach us to depend not on our own strength,
but on God who works through the lowly and the poor.Saint Joseph of Cupertino,
intercede for us and lead us closer to Christ.
Amen.
