St. Philip Neri

St. Philip Neri (21 July 1515 – 26 May 1595) was born in Florence and came to Rome as a young man, where after years as a lay evangelist among the city's youth and pilgrims he was ordained a priest in 1551. Gathering disciples for prayer, Scripture, discussion, and sacred music, he founded the Congregation of the Oratory, an community of secular priests living together without vows, which was approved in 1575 and spread throughout the Church.

Known as the "Apostle of Rome" and the "joyful saint," he combined deep mysticism — his heart was said to have been enlarged in an experience of divine love — with disarming humor, humility, and practical jokes that punctured pride, including his own. He was a spiritual guide to popes, cardinals, and beggars alike and a leading figure of the Catholic Reformation in the city. He died in 1595 and was canonized in 1622 alongside Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Ávila, Francis Xavier, and Isidore.