Saint Joseph of Cupertino

Life story

Joseph was born on 17 June 1603 at Copertino in Apulia, into a poor family; his birth name was Giuseppe Desa. According to his biographers he was seen as slow and absent-minded from childhood. He was turned away when he applied to several orders for lack of education, and was then accepted as a helper at a Franciscan friary. In 1625 he formally entered the Conventual Franciscans.

He went on struggling with his studies, but was ordained priest on 28 March 1628. Contemporary witnesses report that he often fell into ecstasy and that people saw him lifted from the ground while praying. These accounts were written down many years later, and sceptics point to this. Because of the attention and the crowds, his superiors moved him to remote friaries, including Assisi from 1639 to 1653, then Fossombrone and Osimo. He was also investigated by the Inquisition at one point.

In his last years he lived at Osimo in the Marche and died on 18 September 1663. He was beatified on 24 February 1753 under Benedict XIV and canonised on 16 July 1767 under Clement XIII. Many regard him as patron of students taking examinations, and of aviation. He spent his last years in Osimo, where his body is kept in the church that now bears his name. Many pilgrims still visit the town. Copertino also keeps his memory in its own sanctuary.

Works and witness

• Born into a poor family at Copertino and slow at studies
• Entered the Conventual Franciscans in 1625
• Ordained priest on 28 March 1628
• Moved to remote friaries such as Assisi, Fossombrone and Osimo
• Canonised in 1767

Patron of

Students taking examinations, Aviation

Saints from the same country

Saint Agnes, Saint Lawrence, Saint Cecilia, Saint Sebastian

References

• Martyrologium Romanum
• Catholic Encyclopedia (1907–1912), entry on Joseph of Cupertino
• Dicastery for the Causes of Saints – biographical profile

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.