Saint Philip Neri :: essays research papers fc

Saint Philip Neri was born in Florence, Italy, in the year 1515. He was theoldest tidings of Francis Neri and Lucretia Soldi, both descendants of Tuscanfamilies. He was kind hearted as a kid and in short became known as Philip theGood - "the good Pippo." As a child, he studied philosophy and later he tooka comprehensive course in theology. With fourteen companions, he createdthe Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity for spirit after pilgrims andconvalescents. The members met for Communion, prayer and other spiritualexercises in the Church of San Salvatore, and Philip himself introduced theidea of having exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at least once a month.At these devotions, Philip preached, even though he had not yet become apriest. In 1550, he transferred this Confraternity to the Church of the HolyTrinity, and built a new hospital. His die hard continued and in 1551, he wasordained a priest at the age of thirty-six. As a newly ordained priest, Philip continued hi s spiritual conferences toever-increasing numbers, who came pursuit his guidance and help. In a shorttime, several priests and young clergymen associated themselves with him.They began to aid him with his conferences and in reading prayers andmeditations to the people of the Church of the Holy Trinity. This smallgroup soon became known as an Oratory, because at certain hours each day,they would gather the people together for prayer and meditation. Thereforethey laid the foundation of a new apparitional society. In 1564, when Philiphad make his congregation into a regular community, he had several of hisyoung clergy men ordained to the priesthood.Saint Philip lived to be eighty years of age. In the year 1595, he wasstruck by an unusual violent fever and was confined to his bed for theentire month of April. Cardinal Caesar Baronius game him Extreme greasiness andCardinal Frederick Borromeo, an intimate friend, brought him Holy Viaticum.His entire congregation accompanied him on hi s deathbed. It was shortlyafter midnight on May 26th, 1595 that he passed away.Saint Philip was noted too for his kindness and simplicity and was muchsought after as a confessor. His sense of humor was note worthy. He wasbeautified by Pope Paul V in 1615 and was canonized a saint by Pope GregoryXV in the year 1622.After Philips death it was discovered that two of his ribs were broken andhad formed an arch, enlarging the normal space for the heart. His body restsin the Chiesa Nuova where it remains miraculously incorrupt.