Feast Day of St Joseph of Cupertino, 'the Flying Friar'

An ecstatic and levitator, this St Joseph (June 17, 1603 - September 18, 1663) was born at Cupertino (Copertino), a small village between Brindisi and Otranto in the Kingdom of Naples. His father was a carpenter and he was born in a stable.

Joseph was a sickly and dull youth, nicknamed ‘Bocca Aperta, ‘the gaper’ because of his appearance when he entered a trance. Throughout his life he was considered by all to be unworldly, unlearned and not too intelligent, but with great powers of divinity. In March, 1628 he was raised to the priesthood, but this was not the last time he was ‘raised' ...

Tagged: saint, joseph, cupertino, levitation, anomaly, anomalies, unexplained, mystery, mysteries, paranormal