He Levitated Before a Pope and Spent 35 Years in Hiding - Saint Joseph of Cupertino

He levitated during Mass. A Pope witnessed it and promised to testify. The Roman Inquisition cleared him three times. Then his own Church spent 35 years moving him between remote monasteries so no one could find him. This is the documented story of Saint Joseph of Cupertino — the Franciscan friar from southern Italy born in a stable, refused by three religious orders, who rose off the ground over 70 recorded times, died 400 kilometres from home, and was forbidden to say Mass in public for nearly his entire priestly life. The city of Cupertino, California — home of Apple — is named after him. ──────────────────────────────── 📖 CHAPTERS ──────────────────────────────── 0:00 Opening — The Saint in the Machine 1:26 Chapter 1 — The Gaper 5:23 Chapter 2 — Every Door Closed 9:17 Chapter 3 — Blessed Is the Womb 13:14 Chapter 4 — The Ground Let Go 17:27 Chapter 5 — A Problem That Flies 21:52 Chapter 6 — Summoned to Naples 26:44 Chapter 7 — Before the Pope 31:20 Chapter 8 — The Gilded Cage 36:29 Chapter 9 — The Dark Night 40:27 Chapter 10 — Three Small Rooms 44:32 Epilogue — Stories the Saints Left Behind ──────────────────────────────── 🕊 QUICK FACTS ──────────────────────────────── Born: June 17, 1603 — Copertino, Kingdom of Naples, Italy Died: September 18, 1663 — Osimo, Marche, Italy Feast Day: September 18 Beatified: February 24, 1753 by Pope Benedict XIV Canonized: July 16, 1767 by Pope Clement XIII Patron Saint of: Aviators, air travelers, astronauts, students, people with learning difficulties, Copertino, Osimo ──────────────────────────────── 📚 SOURCES & FURTHER READING ──────────────────────────────── Primary Sources: — Canonization inquests (processi), 1664–1695 — sworn witness depositions — Roberto Nuti, Vita (Palermo, 1678) — earliest biography, by his confessor — Domenico Bernino, Vita del Venerabile Padre Fr. Giuseppe da Copertino (Rome, 1722) — Gustavo Parisciani, L'inquisizione e il caso S. Giuseppe da Copertino (Padua, 1996) Academic Sources: — Carlos M. N. Eire, They Flew: A History of the Impossible (Yale University Press, 2023) — Angelo Pastrovicchi OFM Conv., St. Joseph of Copertino (TAN Books, 1980) — Francis Mershman, "St. Joseph of Cupertino," The Catholic Encyclopedia (Robert Appleton, 1910) Skeptical Perspective: — Joe Nickell, "Secrets of 'The Flying Friar'," Skeptical Inquirer 42.4 (2018) Institutional: — City of Cupertino official history: cupertino.gov — EWTN: ewtn.com/catholicism/saints/joseph-of-cupertino-656 ──────────────────────────────── ⚖️ DISCLAIMER ──────────────────────────────── This documentary is produced for historical and educational purposes. All claims are drawn from verified primary sources including Vatican archives and official canonization trial transcripts. Risk labels applied throughout: Verified / Reported / Disputed / Unverified. Beyond the Halo presents history — the interpretation belongs to the viewer. This channel is independently produced and is not affiliated with the Vatican, the Holy See, or any Catholic order or institution. ──────────────────────────────── 👍 If this story moved you, consider subscribing to Beyond the Halo. New documentaries on the lives of the saints — released regularly. ──────────────────────────────── #BeyondTheHalo #SaintJosephOfCupertino #CatholicSaints #CatholicDocumentary #CatholicMystic #FranciscanSaints #SaintsHistory Beyond the Halo — Stories the saints left behind.