The Life of St. Philip Neri: Books III and IV

The Life of St. Philip Neri by Fr. Pietro Giacomo Bacci was published in 1622, just 27 years after St. Philip's death in 1595. Fr. Bacci was a member of the Roman Oratory, the Congregation founded by St. Philip, and he based his book on the Processes instituted for St. Philip's canonization. These Processes began just two months after Philip’s death and depended on sworn testimony from hundreds of witnesses to Philip’s extraordinary virtue and his many miracles. The Processes led to Philip’s beatification in 1615 and ultimately his canonization in 1622. While there have been many books written on St. Philip Neri, Fr. Bacci's book is a classic that has been translated into many languages and republished numerous times in the hundreds of years since St. Philip's death. This edition of The Life of St. Philip Neri by Fr. Bacci is based on the 1902 revised edition of Fr. Frederick Ignatius Antrobus of the London Oratory. Minor adjustments to spelling and punctuation have been made where appropriate. For ease of reading and navigation, this version includes an active table of contents. Fr. Bacci's The Life of St. Philip Neri includes six books. This paperback edition includes Books III and IV and is being published as the second volume. Book III covers the gifts God gave Philip. Book IV covers Philip's sicknesses and death. Volume I includes Books I and II, covering Philip's life and an account of his virtues. Books V (Miracles of Philip's life) and VI (Miracles after Philip's death) will be published as the third volume.