St. Joseph of Cupertino: Feast Day, Patronage & Prayers
Updated: Oct 3
Feast day: September 18 (kept by the Franciscans and in some places; not on the General Roman Calendar)
Patron of: Students taking exams, aviators, and pilots.
About St. Joseph of Cupertino
St. Joseph of Cupertino was born in 1603 in the village of Cupertino, in southern Italy, into great poverty. As a boy he was absent-minded and awkward, so often lost in thought that other children mocked him. He tried to join the Franciscans and the Capuchins but was sent away for his clumsiness and slowness. Finally the Conventual Franciscans accepted him, first as a stable hand. He struggled so much with his studies that his ordination seemed unlikely, but according to tradition, at his examination he was asked about the very passage he knew best, and he was ordained in 1628.
Joseph became famous for his humility, his obedience, and the extraordinary ecstasies he experienced in prayer. Many witnesses, including church officials, reported seeing him lifted into the air during Mass or prayer, especially at the names of Jesus and Mary. Because such events drew crowds, his superiors often moved him to remote friaries, and he accepted it without complaint. He died in 1663 at Osimo and was canonized in 1767. Students ask his help before exams, and pilots and aviators claim him as their patron.
Prayers to St. Joseph of Cupertino on Daily Catholic Prayers
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