He came to Rome from Florence as a young man and lived as a layman for years, working with the poor and talking with young men in shops and on street corners. At Pentecost 1544, praying in the catacomb of San Sebastiano, he experienced what he described as a ball of fire entering his heart. Ordained in 1551, he gathered people for prayer, music and Scripture in a room he called the Oratory. He also started the custom of walking pilgrimages to Rome’s seven great churches, a tradition that still continues.
Historical Context
Among those who followed his example, centuries later, was St John Henry Newman, who founded the first English Oratory in 1848.
St Philip’s Morning Prayer
Lord, keep your hand on Philip this day,
or Philip will betray you.
A Prayer to St Philip Neri
St Philip, you were joyful and humble at the same time.
Pray that I may never take myself too seriously,
that I may laugh easily, love generously
and depend on God for everything.
Set my heart on fire, as the Holy Spirit set yours.
Amen.
For Joy
Lord, give me the cheerfulness of St Philip,
and let it help someone else today.
Amen.
Best Times for This Prayer
- First thing each morning.
- On 26 May, his feast.
- When tempted to pride or gloom.
Scripture Connection
“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” — Philippians 4:4
Paul wrote this from prison. Philip Neri lived it in Rome. Christian joy isn’t a mood; it’s a habit grounded in God.
Related prayers
For his feast day, see the May 26 Prayer. For humility, the Humility Prayer. For a saint of young people, the St John Bosco Prayer.