St. Philip Neri Resurrects a Noble Youth

[Stone]

St. Philip Neri Resurrects a Noble Youth
Adapted from the Life of St. Philip Neri
by Fr. PIetro Giacomo

TIA | May 31, 2025

The very presence of St. Philip of Neri spread about him an atmosphere of sunshine and gladness.. “When I met him in the street,” relates Don Pellegrino, “he would pat my cheek and say, ‘Well, how is Don Pellegrino?’ and leave me so full of joy that I could not tell which way I was going.”

The very presence of St. Philip Neri dispelled sadness and perplexity

When Don Fabrizio di Massimi, head of one of the oldest patrician families in Rome, was in sadness or perplexity, he would go and stand at Philip's door in the Oratory. He said it was enough to see the priest or to be near him to find his heart lightened and gladdened.

When Don Fabrizio and his pious wife Lavinia de’ Rustici, who had five daughters, learned that Livinia was expecting another child, they asked their revered friend to pray for a successful pregnancy, and St. Philip assured them that he would.

When the labor pains had begun, Fabrizio went to the Oratory to ask St. Philip for prayers for a successful partuition. The Saint reflected a moment and then said, “This time your wife will have a son but I wish you to give him the name I shall choose. Do you agree to this?”

Fabrizio answered, “Yes.”
“Then,” replied Philip, “I will give him the name of Paolo.”

The Palazzo Massimo has been the family home of the Italian patrician family for centuries

Lavinia died when the boy was still young, which caused the child great grief, for he had a great love for his mother. When the youth was about 14 years old, on the 10th of January, 1583, he fell sick of a fever, which lasted 65 days.

St. Philip Neri went to see Paolo every day, for he loved him tenderly and had heard his confessions ever since he was a child. Paolo was so pious a boy that when a friend Germanico Fedeli, wondering at his patience through so long and painful a malady, asked him if he would like to change his present illness for Germanico’s health, the youth replied that he would not barter it for the health of anyone, as he was quite content with his sickness.

On the 16th of March the poor boy was reduced to the last extremities. As St. Philip had desired to be informed when Paolo was close to death, they sent a messenger to tell him that the youth was asking insistently for him, and that if he wished to see him alive he must come as quickly as possible, as matters were now at the worst.

St. Philip sprinkled holy water on the dead boy & his eyes opened normally

The messenger arriving at San Girolamo found that Philip was saying mass, so that he could not speak to him. Meanwhile the boy expired; his father closed his eyes, and Camillo, the curate of the parish who had given him Extreme Unction and made the commendation of his soul, had already left. The servants were preparing to wash the body and wrap it in linen cloths.

As soon as the Mass was concluded, St. Philip left to attend to Paolo. Don Fabrizio, weeping, met him at the top of the stairs and said to him, “You are too late. Paolo is dead.”

St. Philip replied, “And why did you not send someone to call me sooner?”

“We did,” rejoined Fabrizio, “but Your Reverence was saying Mass.”

Philip then entered the room where the dead body of the youth lay. Setting himself at the edge of the bed, he prayed for seven or eight minutes with the usual palpitation of his heart and trembling of his body. He then took some holy water and sprinkled the boy’s face, and put a little in his mouth. After this he breathed in his face, laid his hand upon his forehead, and called him twice with a loud and sonorous voice, “Paolo, Paolo!”

TThe youth immediately awoke as from a deep sleep, opened his eyes and said, as in reply to Philip’s call, “Father! I wanted to see you. I forgot to mention a sin, and I should like to go to confession.”

The holy priest ordered those who were round the bed to retire for awhile, and putting a crucifix into Paolo’s hand he heard his confession and gave him absolution.

Masses are said every year on March 16 in the Palazzo Massimo to commemorate the miracle

WWhen the others returned to the room, Philip began to talk with the youth about his sister and mother, who were both dead, and this conversation lasted about half an hour. The youth conversed naturally with a clear distinct voice, as if he were in perfect health. The color had returned to his countenance, and to all who looked at him it seemed as if he had no ill heath at all.

At last St. Philip asked him before his father and all the others in the room if he would die willingly; he replied yes. A second time Philip asked him me if he could die willingly. He replied, “Yes, most willingly; especially so that I may go and see my mother and my sister in Paradise.”

Philip then gave him his blessing, saying, “Go, be blessed, and pray to God for me.“

Immediately with a placid countenance and without the least movement, Paolo expired in Philip’s arms.

Witnessing all this were Fabrizio with two of his daughters who were nuns in Santa Marta, his second wife Violante Santacroce, the servant Francesca who assisted Paolo in his illness, and several others.

In commemoration of this miracle, a special feast is celebrated each year on March 16 in the chapel of the Palazzo Massimo, which is still the home of the same family. The Palace is open to the public on this day from 7 am for consecutive Masses commemorating the miracle.

The chapel also has its own Votive Mass for the occasion, granted by Blessed Pius IX in 1855, at the behest of Francesco Saverio Cardinal Massimo, a member of the family. Through a time-honored indult, the family has special permission to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel’s tabernacle.

One day a year the Massimo family opens their palace & splendid chapel to the public