St. Joseph of Cupertino, a 17th-Century Priest, was famed as 'the Flying Friar' because of his astounding ability to float around in the air like a human balloon!

His amazing feats were witnessed by hundreds of people, including Pope Urban VIII.
He was born Giuseppe Desa in Italy on June 17, 1603, under circumstances remarkably similar to those surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ.

Giuseppe's father, a poor carpenter, was forced to leave town with his pregnant wife when he was harassed by creditors, and Giuseppe was born in a stable.   As a boy, he spent all his time praying, and at age 8, he even built a small altar in a corner of his home.

At the age of 22, Guiseppe was accepted into the Franciscan order, and on March 28, 1628, he was ordained as a priest and sent to a small parish where his miraculous flights began to occur.

The first time it happened, he was praying in church, when he suddenly sailed into the air with a shriek of ecstacy and landed on the altar.  And then, giving another shout of joy, he flew back to the spot where he had been praying before.

Word of his amazing levitation powers reached Rome, and Pope Urban VIII summoned the young Priest to the Vatican.   Giuseppe became so joyous in the Pope's presence, that he rose into the air in a trance.   The Pope was stunned.   He promised that he would personally vouch for Giuseppe's rare and obviously holy talent.

Giuseppe's fame quickly spread beyond Italy, and pilgrims from other countries flocked to his church to see him fly.   He once floated in the air for 20 yards, hovering among burning candles, without being burned!

On his deathbed, in September 1663, Giuseppe, then 60 years old, fell into a trance and floated gently to the steps of a chapel.   He passed on to the Infinite the next day.

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