St. Joseph of Cupertino
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Saint Joseph of6 6 3Cupertino 1 6 0 3 - 1 P ARADISE or Saint Joseph of Cupertino it was decided that he could become a full enough to repeat “Heaven, Heaven” member of the Order and study to to remain enraptured in ecstasy. The Saint become a priest. Fwas born in Cupertino on June 17, 1603 On March 20, 1627, the examiner in the province of Lecce, in the then asked him to explain to him the only “Kingdom of Naples”. During childhood, thing that he succeeded in learning well, he was seriously ill for a long time, and and thus Joseph became a deacon! One was miraculously healed in the Shrine year later, on March 28, he was able to of Our Lady of Grace of Galatone. At the become a priest: he appeared at the age of eight, Joseph had a vision while exam along with many other candidates. he was at school and this was repeated After interrogating the first ones, the many other times. He was also very slow Bishop was very satisfied with the results and careless, and wandered aimlessly. and decided to pass everyone. Joseph He could not recount a story to the end was among the fortunate candidates to and he often stopped in the middle of a whom no questions were asked and sentence, because he did not find the became a priest together with the others: right words. His perseverance with books this is why he is considered the Patron was of no use, and he attempted to of students! learn the trade of shoemaker, but was The “Flying Saint” often went into unsuccessful. He had two uncles in the ecstasy and spoke with God. He remained Franciscan Order: at the age of seventeen motionless like a statue, unresponsive he too desired to be a Franciscan, but like a rock, and nothing could move him. towards the altar or above it. He was seen was rejected due to his ignorance. In Anything that related to the Lord placed to levitate by people more than seventy 1620, he was accepted as a novice among him in a state of contemplation. This times while he said Mass or prayed. the Capuchins of Martina Franca, near happened also when he looked at a Joseph performed many miracles, Taranto, but they sent him away after religious painting, or when he heard the especially among the poor people. He eight months because he was very sound of a bell, sacred music, the name touched blind eyes, and they saw, he careless. His mother finally was able to of God, of the Virgin Mary or of a Saint. took in his arms a sick child and healed have him accepted as servant at “The His fellow friars could prick him with him; he transcribed the blessing of Grotto” Monastery of the Conventual needles or burn him with hot embers in St. Francis and this manuscript, when Franciscans of Cupertino. While he was an attempt to reawaken him, but he did circulated in town, performed wonders. there, as an “oblate” and as a “lay brother”, not notice anything. Frequently he arose He celebrated Mass for the last time on he showed great virtues, humility, from the ground and remained suspended August 15, 1663 and died on the 18th obedience and love for penance. It was in air: in church he happened to fly of September. © Associazione Carlo Acutis.