Philip Neri
Saint Philip Neri is the patron of joy and of humor because joy was his very method of holiness: the “Apostle of Rome” and “Humorous Saint” drew countless souls to God through laughter, wit, and good cheer, teaching that a sad saint is a sorry saint and famously curing the proud of vanity by sending them out in deliberately ridiculous get-ups. Because that gladness was a balm against gloom, those who suffer depression and those who make others laugh — comedians — find in him a friend. The strange patronage of the US Army Special Forces (Green Berets) comes from a modern choice: the Special Forces adopted him as patron, drawn to a saint of courage and good humor under pressure. He is, above all, the patron of Rome, the city he renewed by the warmth of his charity.
Saint Philip Neri, known as the “Apostle of Rome” and the “Humorous Saint,” was an Italian priest who founded the Congregation of the Oratory. Born in Florence in 1515, he was famous for his joyful spirit, practical jokes, and extraordinary spiritual gifts. He drew people to holiness through humor, warmth, and personal conversation.
