The flying monk

Miracles of “The flying monk from Kopertino” (Italy) – among the most amazing and at the same time, probably, it is the best of all than the documented cases in the history. Iosif from Kopertino made aeronautics feats, clearly staying in a condition of full ecstasy, and similar abilities puzzled not only the church authorities, but also him. And though such abilities seem absolutely improbable to the contemporary nonspecialist, the list of witnesses amazes with both the size, and relevancy of persons, in it listed. Among disdained forces of terrestrial gravitation Iosif Deza who was born in Kopertino in 1603 was the most glorified. It not just rose in air, but could fly as if a bird! Thousands of dumbfounded eyewitnesses witnessed its flights. Other Saints were able to rise only for a while by small height, and is frequent under quite doubtful circumstances. But air travel of Iosif were extraordinary spectacular, long and took place in the face of the most authoritative people of Europe of that time. On July 10, 1657, the sent Pope in the monastery Osimo, it “flew by by air at the height of 4 feet from the earth to the almond tree standing in 30 yards”. Another time it “flew by as a bird from the center of the temple to the top altar distance in 40 yards”. And even in religious ecstasy it somehow soared up on an olive tree and sat down on a branch. It remained there within half an hour, rocking as some crow, did not bring a ladder yet and did not remove it. These and many other amazing flights were certified by certificates of people with spotless reputation. Among them there is a Holy Father the father Urban VIII, the princess Maria Savoyskaya, the cardinal Fakkinetti, the Great Admiral of Castile, the glorified doctors and still many. The show of the monk soaring in the sky made a different impression on observers. In 1645 the Spanish envoy and his wife went to Assisi to see Iosif whose glory reached their country. Hardly they came into church of the Sacred Brotherhood as the monk, according to them, “soared up up, flew by over their heads of 12 yards to a statue where sat down, prayed a little and with loud shout departed back, into place”. The wife of the envoy fainted, and it was required to much snuff salt to bring her round. Johann, the duke Braunschweig, was so captured by what was seen that burst in tears, renounced Lutheranism which he professed, and became jealous Catholic. The boy Iosif Deza arrived the pupil to the shoemaker, but, having desired lives spiritual, in 17 years was accepted by the novice to the monastery of Capuchins. However it was so stupid and awkward that in 8 months it was expelled from the monastery and is deprived of an attire that plunged it into deep grief. Nevertheless, the humility, prayers and persistence he achieved secondary acceptance in a brotherhood and, though was very unreceptive to the divine doctrine, so caused a stir in the devotion that in 22 years received a holy order, and in 3 years became the priest. At this particular time also began its well-known aeronautics, and its glory as Saint became such that people were flown down by thousands to Italy to see it. However his mentors in Naples were not flattered or pleased at all; on the contrary, they became more suspicious. Iosif declared the clown and the blasphemer was having caused in sacred service and is accused of a common people outfoxing by false miracles. However certificates in its advantage were so convincing both for secular, and for the spiritual authorities that it was released. But still to it treated disapprovingly and with suspicion. The flying cardinal could be accepted still, but dangling in air of conventuals it was no good. The father ordered to send Iosif to Assisi so that revival around it ceased. It arrived there on April 30, 1639, but on it miracles did not end. Again rumors about its bogoizbrannost and flights by air attracted to it crowds, to great indignation of the prior of the monastery. Then Iosif was transferred to other monastery in Pyetrarubia, but fantastic travel by air continued, and it became known even more widely, than earlier. The people from all provinces flocked to take part in its masses, the church was filled by believers so that there was no place to bend a knee. But at the ecstasy moments Iosif rose up and was visible to all, on a lap, in a prayer, sometimes within half an hour. And then, in only three months, the special decree of the father it was sent to monastery of Capuchins in Fossombrona. But it continued to fly, and its glory grew. And again the father forced it to start at way. At last it appeared in the monastery of the Brotherhood in Osimo, the ancient city of area the March. There he also died on September 18, 1663. But being even dying, it continued to fly in the face of the doctors treating him and once hanged in air for 15 minutes. The surgeon, Francesco Pyerpaoli, and the therapist, doctor Giacinto Carusi, observed behavior of the patient. The first of them wrote: “I noticed that it rose by palm width from a chair. I tried to lower it into place, but could not. We with doctor Karugsh kneelt better to see, and were convinced that the father Josef hung in mid-air. At last his confessor ordered it to become normal, and the father Josef was slowly tumbled down on the bench”. For all his life not less than one hundred flights were recorded. Possibly, them was more. The first, according to Bernino who made his biography at insistance of Vatican happened in Gyutella’s church for Christmas of 1627. On a nave the great number of the shepherds with pipes intending to celebrate this Saint and happy day crowded. Iosif rejoiced so strongly that he suddenly “published groan, then loud shout also at the same time rose in air. It flew to the center of church as a bird, by distance about 40 meters and fell by the top altar. There it remained minutes 15 before descended on the earth. Shepherds were struck with such miracle”. In Fossombrone’s garden he somehow time seized a young lamb, piled up to himself on shoulders and soared up into the sky on height of surrounding trees. There on a lap it stayed 2 hours. All this occurred in the face of the visitors of a garden who were stunned by amazement who hurried to call others, and subsequently testified the indications. Attacks of divine delight at it repeated regularly, almost each mass, and in monastic records is recorded that it 15 times flew alone before image of the Saint Maiden. Sometimes it took with itself(himself) in flights of others. Captured by religious ecstasy, he seized other priest once, and both came off the earth amazingly. In Assisi one obsessed by the name of Balthasar Rossi was brought to Iosif on treatment. The madman kneelt before the monk, and the father Josef, having assigned him a hand to the head, said: “Be not afraid, Balthasar! Be given to God and his Saint Mother!” Then, having seized to the madman hair, he published the usual cry, both rose in air and hung above the ground minutes 15. Then safely landed, and Balthasar was released. In records it is not told whether the patient recovered, but it is clear what this day he remembered for a long time. In Naples Iosif prayed one morning in Saint Georgy’s church when he with loud shout soared up to the top altar and came to be among flowers and the burning candles. Conventuals of an award of Saint Ligorio who were in church at this time in horror cried: “It will burn down!”, but the wonder-worker began to spin around a candelabrum, then flew back to a nave where rose on a firm floor and continued the prayers. Similar feats it were noted also in other churches. Needless to say that the general of an award of Capuchins was very alarmed and puzzled, and soon enough Iosif came to be before the father Urban VIII. The awe which captured on this occasion the monk brought it to ecstasy again. It flew up before the Holy Father and was in air until the general of an award ordered it to return on the earth. The amazed father recognized that he became the witness of wonderful incident, and in archives of Vatican under this date there is the corresponding record. Flights over which, probably, Iosif had no control continued 35 years, up to his death. Ability to fly though was considered inherent divine, at the same time was given to the elite as blessing from above. Often flights caused animosity in temporal powers and various concourses of people; one bishop was annoyed when Iosif broke all solemnity of a mass, unexpectedly soaring up into air. Besides, during the most part from these 35 years to it it was forbidden to participate in singing of chorus and various processions owing to such disturbing impact on others. After Iosif forced to eat alone food after several times the quiet meeting in a refectory quickened comic effects. Once during a dinner it flew, wagging with a piece of fish; another time hanged above the ground during a participle, sandals fell down down, and all attendee opened its naked calloused a foot. Similar incidents brought into thoughtless mood of other brothers so Iosif had to be isolated. Today people are skeptical about the possibility of flights of Iosif, however certificates on them are very convincing. Indications about its airswimmings gathered not many years later, and registered directly on the place and made sure reliable, educated and observant witnesses. Shortly before Iosif’s death the father prior of an award, Jacob (James) Ravensky, ordered that all information on him was collected and written down by the brother Robert Nugi from Assisi. Nugi himself knew the monk. He collected indications of a great number of witnesses, accurately rewrote them and lodged to the Catholic authorities in several months after Iosif’s death. Documents were stored in Vatican till 1753 when they became object of studying of Prosper Lambertini, future Pope Benedict of XIV. He was Vera’s Holder whose duties the most careful research of life of candidates for canonization entered. It did not spare time for studying of certificates. That inspectors of church of that time were suspicious and hostile to the monk creating a miracle it is possible to understand on the example of Iosif’s call in inquisition several years earlier. Eventually a conclusion of inquisition said: “Certificates of persons of unconditional infallibility certify a raising in air and long flights of this slave Bozhyego, Iosif from Kopertino”. How, actually, it managed to the monk to overcome gravitation force? On this question it is impossible to give the answer. Perhaps, this secret is similar to that which will explain how Elia and other prophets from the Writing soared up into air”. But if not to attract charge of conspiracy or a mass hallucination to a case with the father Josef, his flights really took place.

V. M. Kandyba “Mysterious superopportunities of the person”