St. Joseph of Cupertino, an Italian Franciscan friar (1603–1663), is known as the “flying saint”.
He was a simple and humble man, mocked in his youth for being slow to learn.
However, he had an extraordinary mystical gift: during prayer and Mass, he would often levitate into the air, overcome by ecstasy in the presence of God.
Hundreds of witnesses, including priests, nobles, and even Pope Urban VIII, testified to seeing Joseph rise several feet above the ground, sometimes remaining suspended for long periods of time.
These levitations were so frequent that his superiors often had to keep him away from large gatherings, since people would crowd around to see the miracle.
Despite these mystical experiences, Joseph remained deeply humble, devoted to prayer and service.
He is now the patron saint of aviators, pilots, and students, remembered for his extraordinary sign of God’s power.
