Saint Joseph of Copertino commemorated by the Church

The Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of Saint Joseph of Copertino on September 18. Born Giuseppe Maria Desa in 1603 in Copertino, Italy, he was a priest of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual.

His life was marked by significant hardships, including extreme poverty and early health struggles. After overcoming a serious illness, he eventually entered the Franciscan order despite initial difficulties with his studies and academic requirements. He was ordained a priest in 1628.

He is widely known as the ‘Saint of Flight’ due to reported mystical phenomena, including ecstasies and levitations during intense prayer. These occurrences led to various transfers between convents for observation by ecclesiastical authorities. He spent his final years in Osimo and died on September 18, 1663.