Today the Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Joseph of Cupertino, a Conventual Franciscan friar from Puglia in the 17th century who went down in history as the ‘Saint of flight’ due to the extraordinary and ecstatic mystical levitations he performed publicly during the celebration of Mass. Born into humble origins and considered unintelligent in his youth due to his learning difficulties, Joseph managed to pass his priesthood examinations thanks to a series of divine wonders that astonished the examiners themselves. His life was marked by profound spiritual trials, including years of isolation and segregation in convents in the Marche region by order of the Holy Office, which was investigating his mystical phenomena. Despite his sufferings and initial misunderstanding, his deep holiness and boundless love for God emerged with strength, leading him to his death in Osimo in 1663. Today he is universally venerated as the patron saint of students, invoked by generations of young people in moments of academic and school difficulty for his unique intercession in studies.
