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<img height='175' src='http://vaticanstamps.org/VPS/images/296/995.jpg'> Saint Philip Neri Scott 995 (1995)</center>
 
Philip Neri (1515-1595) was a priest and the founder of the Congregation of the Oratory (Oratorians), born in Florence and educated by Dominicans at the Convent of San Marco.
 
In 1534 he gave up a life in business at Naples, moved to Rome, and lived in extreme poverty in an attic, living as a hermit for two years, then studying theology and philosophy. He encouraged others to join an apostolate to care for the sick in hospitals and visit Roman churches. A vision in 1548 convinced him to look after pilgrims to Rome and those who were convalescing from illnesses.
 
Neri was an ordained priest in 1551 and formed a community of priests who focused on confession and spiritual direction. He formed his Congregation of the Oratory at San Girolamo which was approved in 1575. The Oratory received many pilgrims from cardinals to the destitute as well as foreigners.
 
He often fell into ecstasy in prayer or while saying Mass. He built the Chiesa Nuova in 1575 to replace an older structure given to him by Pope Gregory XIII. It was eventually paid for by contributions from visiting pilgrims.
 
Neri was canonized in 1622. In England Neri’s works are best known through the Birmingham Oratory, founded by St. John Henry Newman, and later the Brompton Oratory.
 
References: 
• Farmer, Oxford Dictionary of Popes 
Article Links: 
• Thomas I Crimando, <a href='http://vaticanstamps.org/vaticannotes/idisplay2.php?p=264-05&r=0'>New Issues</a>, Vatican Notes, Vol. 44, No. 4 p. 8 (1996)

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