As Philip grew older, something extraordinary happened!

While he remained joyful and playful on the outside...

Inside, God was working extraordinary miracles through him!

Philip tried to hide these gifts! He didn't want attention!

But it was impossible to hide completely!

People saw! And they marveled!

Ecstasies at Mass

When Philip celebrated Mass, extraordinary things happened!

Frequently, he entered into ecstasy!

What is ecstasy? It's when the soul is so united with God that the body almost stops!

Philip would become motionless! Elevated in the air! Radiant with light!

Sometimes he levitated - floated above the ground!

The faithful saw and were astonished!

Because of this, Philip celebrated Mass alone, very early!

Why? So as not to cause commotion!

But even so, people discovered and came to watch!

One day, they tried to hide Philip in a private chapel!

But during Mass, he levitated so high he hit his head on the ceiling!

When he came to, he had a bump on his head!

Philip laughed: "Serves me right! That'll teach me humility!"

The Heat in His Chest

Remember Philip's expanded heart since Pentecost?

That heat continued all his life!

When he prayed intensely, his chest became so hot that he needed to:

- Open his shirt (even in winter!)

- Ask for cold water to drink!

- Sometimes open the window even when it was snowing outside!

People nearby could feel the heat emanating from him!

It was as if he had a furnace inside his chest!

But it was the fire of God's love!

Reading Hearts

Philip had the gift of reading hearts!

He knew what people thought and felt!

Many times, before someone spoke, Philip already knew the problem!

"You came to confess that sin, didn't you?" he would say.

The person would be shocked: "How do you know?"

Philip would smile: "Jesus told me! He loves you! He wants to forgive you!"

Once, a young man went to confess hiding a serious sin!

He confessed small sins, but not the big one!

Philip looked at him and said: "And that other one? Aren't you going to tell me?"

The young man turned white! "How do you know?"

"God showed me! He loves you too much to let you hide this!"

The young man confessed everything, cried, and left transformed!

Prophecies and Miracles

Philip also prophesied future events!

He would tell people: "Something important will happen on such a day!"

And it would happen!

Once, he told a cardinal: "You will be Pope!"

The cardinal laughed: "Impossible! I'm too young!"

Years later, he became Pope Clement VIII!

Philip also healed the sick!

He didn't advertise it! He tried to hide it!

But people came asking for blessings!

Philip blessed them, prayed, and many were healed miraculously!

Once, he raised a young man who had just died!

The young man came back to life! He confessed his sins to Philip! And then died again in peace!

Philip didn't want credit: "It was Jesus! Not me!"

The Congregation of the Oratory

The Oratory was growing more and more!

There were so many young people and priests involved that they needed structure!

In 1575, Pope Gregory XIII officially approved the Congregation of the Oratory!

It was a new religious order! But different!

Oratorians didn't take solemn vows like others!

They didn't have a rigid rule!

They lived together in community, but with freedom!

Philip wanted the Congregation to be different!

"We are family, not army!" he said.

Each Oratory house was independent! There was no superior general!

It emphasized joy, music, charity, and education!

Oratorian priests should be:

- Joyful and accessible

- Good preachers

- Lovers of music

- Dedicated to youth

- Humble and simple

Chiesa Nuova

Philip needed a larger church for the Oratory!

He began construction of the Chiesa Nuova (New Church) in Rome!

It was a huge project! It took years!

Philip supervised everything! But with humor!

Once, he saw a worker doing something wrong and said:

"My friend, even I who am not a mason know that this will fall!"

The man laughed and fixed it!

The Chiesa Nuova was decorated by famous artists!

It had beautiful paintings! Magnificent architecture!

But Philip kept his simple little room!

While the church was rich (for God's glory), Philip lived poor!

"God deserves the best! I deserve the minimum!" he would say.

Holy Friendships

Philip had extraordinary friends!

Among them:

Saint Charles Borromeo - great reformer! They visited each other frequently!

Saint Ignatius of Loyola - founder of the Jesuits! Philip almost joined him!

Saint Felix of Cantalice - joyful Capuchin like Philip!

And many cardinals, nobles, and especially the poor!

Philip treated everyone equally! Princes and beggars!

The Last Years

In his last years, Philip became physically weak!

He was over 70! But he remained joyful!

He could no longer walk much! But he constantly received visitors!

He sat in his chair and conversed, advised, heard confessions!

He continued making jokes! He never lost his humor!

"I'm old but not boring!" he would say laughing.

May 25, 1595: Death

On May 25, 1595, Philip was well!

He celebrated Mass! He heard confessions! He talked with friends!

In the evening, he dined joyfully with his spiritual children!

Then he went to his room to rest!

But at midnight, he began to feel ill!

The priests came running!

Philip knew he was going to die!

Philip asked for the blessing of the priests present!

Everyone cried! "Father Philip, don't leave us!"

But he smiled: "Don't cry! I'm going home! To Jesus!"

He raised his hands to heaven!

He murmured: "Last of all, let's go home!"

And at 2 AM, Philip died peacefully!

He was 80 years old! He died as he lived - with joy and peace!

Something extraordinary happened!

Immediately after death, Philip's body began to shine!

A soft light emanated from it!

And the room filled with heavenly perfume!

Everyone witnessed it! It wasn't imagination!

It was a sign that Philip was with God!

The Funeral

News of his death spread quickly!

All of Rome went to the funeral!

Popes, cardinals, nobles... but mainly the poor and youth!

They cried: "We lost our father!" "We lost our friend!"

But they also rejoiced: "We have a saint in heaven!"

The body was exposed! Thousands came to venerate it!

Canonization and Legacy

In 1622, only 27 years after his death, Philip was canonized!

Along with Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Teresa of Avila, and Saint Francis Xavier!

The Pope recognized the extraordinary miracles!

Saint Philip Neri was declared Patron of Rome!

(Along with Saint Peter and Saint Paul!)

What an extraordinary honor!

The Legacy of Saint Philip Neri

Saint Philip left a precious legacy:

🎵 Evangelization through joy - He showed that holiness is joyful!

🎵 Use of music - He revolutionized sacred music!

🎵 Love for youth - He dedicated his life to saving them!

🎵 Congregation of the Oratory - Continues his work!

🎵 Renewal of Rome - He transformed the city spiritually!

🎵 Example of humility - He hid gifts to remain humble!

🎵 Accessible holiness - He proved that everyone can be saints!

Today, Saint Philip Neri is loved worldwide!

His feast (May 26) is celebrated with joy!

The Congregation of the Oratory continues his work!

And his spirit lives on: joy, music, charity, youth!

He teaches us: God is not grumpy! He is joyful! He wants us to be happy!

As Philip said: "Be good, if you can!"