The Saints have to work at remaining pure; purity is not a gift one receives and can afford to neglect. Even a Saint, like Philip Neri fought temptations of one kind or another, the enemy of God always trying to snare the unsnarable.

One time when St. Philip Neri was seriously ill, Francesco, one of his spiritual children, entered the room, and saw St. Philip levitating, suspended over his bed in ecstasy, thanking the Lord for having rescued him from a serious temptation.

He bi-located! A young man was drowning, when suddenly St. Philip appeared; lifting him up out of the sea, he pulled him to shore.

He performed a triple miracle. In another instance, St. Philip predicted that three young man would go to Corsica, would drown in the middle of the sea, and end up in Rome, where they would be raised from the dead. All this came to pass, when St. Philip Neri was still alive.

One day, he was called to exorcise a demon from Catherine d’Aversa; as he was praying over her, a demon resembling a mad dog came out of her and flew toward him. Philip Neri took a mace and flung it wildly at the demon and he disappeared.

St. Philip Neri entered the room and addressed the demon demanding, "Do you know who I am?" Taken aback by his holiness and strength, and fearing his authority, the demon came out of the youth in a cloud of gray smoke!

He asked the youth, if he wanted to get well; to which he answered, "I want the Will of God."

The young prince was now dying, and he called for St. Philip. He couldn’t go because he was celebrating Mass, and the young prince died. After the Mass was over, St. Philip ran immediately to the palace.

The royal family was gathered around the prince’s bed, grieving. When St. Philip learned that the youth had wanted to confess once more before dying, he began to weep. Then he blessed the prince with Holy Water. He put a little of the water on the prince’s lips, placed his hand on him, and called out, "Paul! Paul!"

The youth opened his eyes and filled with joy, he said, "Father, how much I prayed for you to come. I had forgotten a sin and I wanted to confess."

he saint told everyone to leave the room and after hearing his confession, St. Philip asked the youth, "Are you now content to die?"