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Philip Neri
16th‑century Italian priest and spiritual director, Catholic saint, key Counter‑Reformation reformer and founder of the Congregation of the Oratory
Feast: 26 May (current Roman calendar, memorial) · 26 May (1962 Missal, III class)
Who they were
Philip Neri was born in Florence on 22 July 1515, the son of a notary from an old Tuscan family. At sixteen he was sent to help a relative in business near Monte Cassino, where he took to praying in a mountain chapel and understood that he was called to Rome. He arrived there in 1533 with nothing, and lived for seventeen years as a layman, tutoring the sons of a Florentine who gave him a room, studying, and praying through the nights in the churches of Rome and the catacomb of San Sebastiano.
At Pentecost 1544, praying in the catacomb, he felt what seemed a globe of fire enter his heart; for the rest of his life his heart burned with love of God, and after his death it was found enlarged and two ribs bent outward. In 1548 he founded a confraternity to care for pilgrims and the convalescent. Ordained in 1551, he heard confessions from dawn each day at San Girolamo della Carità, and the informal gatherings of prayer, Scripture, music and talk in his room became the Oratory. Gregory XIII approved his Congregation of the Oratory in 1575 and gave it Santa Maria in Vallicella, the Chiesa Nuova.
Known as the Apostle of Rome, he was famous for his humour, humility and joy, and taught that people can become saints in the world as surely as in the cloister. On the feast of Corpus Christi 1595 he said Mass with unusual joy, and he died that night, after midnight, on 26 May, having foretold the hour.
The miracles
Paolo Massimo — Palazzo Massimo, Rome — 16 March 1583
The fourteen-year-old son of a noble Roman family had died, and mourning had already begun when Philip arrived some thirty minutes later. Before witnesses he breathed on the boy and called his name, and Paolo returned to life. Philip heard his confession and spoke with him for about half an hour, then let him go back into eternity, better prepared for heaven. The day is still kept every 16 March in the chapel of the Palazzo Massimo in Rome.
This is the best-known of the wonders recorded in his life, not one of the miracles formally examined for his canonisation. Philip was canonised in the great ceremony of 12 March 1622, together with Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Teresa of Ávila and Isidore the Farmer.
Why that counted as sanctity
His holiness was recognised in his own lifetime by the people of Rome, who crowded his confessional and called him their apostle. The inquiry into his life and miracles began soon after his death; he was beatified by Paul V in 1615, twenty years after he died, and canonised by Gregory XV in 1622, alongside the founders of the Discalced Carmelites and the Jesuits, at a time when the Church was holding up new founders as models of renewal.
Connected on this site
- Aloisius Scrosoppi Saint“Drawn to the poverty of St Francis, he followed in the end the path of St Philip Neri and joined the Oratory.” — this site's research
- Charles Borromeo Saint“Borromeo founded the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine and was a leading figure of the Counter-Reformation together with Ignatius of Loyola and Philip Neri.” — Wikipedia
- Francis Xavier Saint“Philip was canonised in the great ceremony of 12 March 1622, together with Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Teresa of Ávila and Isidore the Farmer.” — this site's research
- Francis de Sales Saint“He was a member of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri, a tertiary of the Order of Minims, and was canonized in 1665.” — Wikipedia
- Ignatius of Loyola Saint“His friendship with figures such as Ignatius of Loyola and influence over the Society of Jesus played a role in the broader movement of Church reform.” — Wikipedia
- Ignazio Capizzi Saint“Father Ignazio Capizzi, whose heroic virtues were recognised in 1858 and whom Blessed Pius IX called "the Saint Philip Neri of Sicily", was one of the leading figures in the religious life of 18th-century Palermo.” — this site's research
- John Henry Newman Saint“Ordained a Catholic priest in 1847, he founded the Oratory of St Philip Neri in England, at Birmingham.” — this site's research
- Joseph Marello Saint“Though in poor health he went to Savona for the third centenary of St Philip Neri's death, and died there on 30 May 1895.” — this site's research
- Joseph Vaz Saint“He founded the Oratory of St Philip Neri at Goa.” — this site's research
- Paul the Apostle Saint“He is sometimes referred to as the "Second Apostle of Rome" after Peter the Apostle, and sometimes as the "Third Apostle of Rome", after Peter and Paul the Apostle.” — Wikipedia
- Teresa of Ávila Saint“Philip was canonised in the great ceremony of 12 March 1622, together with Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Teresa of Ávila and Isidore the Farmer.” — this site's research
- Antonio Grassi Blessed“But among the Oratorians he was known for his strong devotion to the Rule of Saint Philip Neri.” — Wikipedia
8 more
- Baptista Varani Blessed“Philip Neri and St.” — this site's research
- Carmen de San Felipe Neri (Nazaria) Gomez y Lezaun Blessed“Among those named is Blessed Carmen of Saint Philip Neri (Nazaria) Gómez y Lezaun.” — this site's research
- John Juvenal Ancina Blessed“At Saluzzo in Piedmont, Blessed John Juvenal Ancina, bishop, who, formerly a physician, was among the first to enter the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri.” — this site's research
- Sebastian Valfrè Blessed“Sebastian Valfrè (9 March 1629 – 30 January 1710) was a Catholic priest and a member of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri.” — Wikipedia
- Giorgio Guzzetta Venerable“Giorgio Guzzetta was a priest of the Confederation of the Oratory of St Philip Neri; he was born on 23 April 1682 at Piana dei Greci (today Piana degli Albanesi, Italy) and died at Partinico, Italy, on 21 November 1756.” — this site's research
- Raimondo Calcagno Venerable“Raimondo Calcagno was a priest of the Congregation of the Oratory of St Philip Neri, born at Chioggia, Italy, on 17 April 1888, who died there on 18 July 1964.” — this site's research
- Víctor Rodríguez Martínez Servant of God“Born at Quintanadiez de la Vega in Palencia and married in 1948 to María Asunción Merino, with whom he had ten children, he worked as a farmer and belonged to the Secular Discalced Carmelites, the Congregation of St Philip Neri, the Cursillos and Nocturnal Adoration, and was known for his care of the poor and the sick.” — this site's research
- Wawrzyniec Kuśniak Servant of God“Kuśniak was a priest of the Congregation of the Oratory of St Philip Neri at Gostyń and its superior for 27 years, known for supporting the poor.” — this site's research
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913) - St Philip Romolo Neri
- Crux / CNS, Feb 2022 - Why a canonisation in 1622 still draws attention
- The Birmingham Oratory - the raising of Prince Paolo Massimo
- Wikidata Q217791 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Philip Neri (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.