Giuseppe da Copertino is a unique and extraordinary saint, known for the immense supernatural gifts he received from God. First and foremost, levitation, to such an extent that he became known as the “saint of flights”; but also the gift of infused knowledge, prophecy, bilocation, and reading hearts… Patron saint of students and aviators, his is a fascinating story: let’s discover it together.
A life of… uphill struggles
Giuseppe Maria Desa was born on June 17, 1603, in the town of Copertino (Lecce); his family was destitute, and he was born in a stable like Jesus.
Unable to attend school because of an ulcer, his mother tries to educate him by telling him about the lives of saints such as Saint Francis. This is how the desire to follow in the footsteps of the Poor Man of Assisi is born in him. He asks to enter various convents, but is rejected by all of them because of his lack of education, along with the first manifestations of ecstasy, during which he drops everything from his hands.
God wants it and… he passes the exams!
After wandering for so long, he is welcomed into the “Grottella” convent and, amid a thousand difficulties, reaches the examination for the diaconate. Here a miracle takes place: Giuseppe has an in-depth knowledge of just one passage from the Gospel, and that is precisely the one the examining bishop asks him to comment on. An extraordinary event happens again three years later, when he is to become a priest: the bishop questions some of the candidates and, finding them particularly well prepared, extends admission to the priesthood to all the others. In 1628, Giuseppe is ordained a priest.
An uneducated humble friar
We could describe Joseph as a humble, illiterate friar who “although he was ignorant of language and had poor handwriting, whenever he spoke about God he was enlightened”; aware of his cultural limitations, he preferred the simplest manual tasks, nicknaming himself “Brother Donkey.” The phenomena of ecstasy and levitation became increasingly frequent and did not escape the attention of the Inquisition in Naples, which summoned him to investigate: right in front of the judges, Joseph levitated and was therefore acquitted of all charges, but confined in isolation.
He moves from one convent to another until he reaches Osimo (Ancona). He arrives there in 1656 and remains there until his death, always leading a humble life in the service of others and in communion with God. He dies on September 18, 1663, at the age of 60.
Saint Joseph of Cupertino, a man considered “ignorant,” teaches us that the most important thing is to be docile to God’s will: in this way, every life can become a masterpiece!
We are giving this prayer to all the students returning to school, so that it may accompany them throughout the school year.
Student’s Prayer
Saint Joseph of Cupertino, I am a student and I knock at your heart to invoke your protection.
Help me to live this important season of my life well.
Pray to the Lord for me, so that I may come to see my studies as a decisive means of preparing myself to spend my life in the service of others.
Grant that I may use these years to acquire solid skills, so that none of my talents remains buried in laziness but becomes a gift for others.
And by making my brothers happy, I too will be happy because I will have God’s love in my heart. Amen.
Cardinal Angelo Comastri
