On September 18th, the Church celebrates Saint Joseph of Cupertino, a priest of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual and one of the most unique figures in 17th-century Franciscan spirituality. Born in Copertino, in the province of Lecce, on June 17, 1603, Giuseppe Maria Desa lived a life marked by poverty, difficulties in his studies, and a profound religious vocation, eventually becoming one of the most well-known and revered saints in Salento. His story is primarily linked to the mystical phenomena that, according to testimonies of the time, characterized his life, earning him the lasting memory as the “Saint of Flights”.
Giuseppe was born into a very poor family in a stable, after his father, a carpenter, had passed away, leaving the family in severe financial hardship. From a young age, he expressed a desire to dedicate himself to religious life, but his path was anything but simple. His difficulties with his studies and various health issues hindered his progress, but in 1620, he managed to join the Friars Minor Conventual. After a period of formation, he was ordained a priest in 1628.
Giuseppe’s fame grew primarily due to his mystical experiences. During moments of intense prayer, before the Eucharist or images of the Virgin Mary, he would be overcome by ecstasy and, according to numerous accounts, would levitate off the ground. These episodes, observed by clergy and the faithful, contributed to his widespread notoriety but also drew the attention of ecclesiastical authorities. For this reason, Giuseppe was subjected to examinations and transferred multiple times to different convents, eventually arriving in Osimo, in the Marche region, where he spent the final years of his life.
In Osimo, he continued to lead a life characterized by prayer, poverty, and humility. He died on September 18, 1663, at the age of sixty. The date of his death became his liturgical feast day, and each year, on September 18, the Church celebrates his commemoration. His canonization process concluded in the 18th century: he was beatified in 1753 by Pope Benedict XIV and canonized in 1767 by Pope Clement XIII.
Saint Joseph of Cupertino is particularly known as the patron saint of students and those taking exams, precisely because of the relationship between his personal experience and the difficulties he encountered in his studies. His figure has thus become a reference point for those facing exams and academic tests, to whom they can turn for help and support. He is also considered the patron saint of aviators, an association linked to the tradition of his flights during ecstasies.
The bond with Cupertino remains very strong: in the Salento city, important places from his life are still preserved today, including the stable where, according to tradition, he was born, while his remains are kept in Osimo. The anniversary of September 18 thus becomes a moment to renew devotion to a figure who has crossed the centuries while maintaining his particular charm intact. The story of Saint Joseph of Cupertino, in fact, unites elements of great humanity, such as poverty and difficulties in study, with an extraordinary spiritual dimension, represented by his ecstasies and famous “flights.” It is precisely this contrast that makes Saint Joseph of Cupertino a deeply recognizable figure even today: a man who started from the difficulties of daily life and became, through faith, one of the most beloved and singular saints of the Franciscan tradition.
