Saint Isidore the Farmer

Isidore was born in Madrid in the year 1070.
He married Maria de la Cabeza by whom he had one son who died young. He spent all his life as a farm labourer in the service of a wealthy land owner, Juan de Vargas.
Isidore was renowned for his holiness. The Old Roman Breviary speaks of him 'seeking first the kingdom of God' by going early in the morning before he set out to work to visit churches, especially those dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. He would distribute his wages to those in need.

He died on the 15th of May 1130(fitting then that the first mass to take place at St.Isidore's Church in Biggar was a further 800 years on almost to the day), and was buried in the cemetry of St. Andrew's Church. Later, his body, still incorrupt, was moved into the church itself and given a place of honour. The church of St.Andrew's in Madrid, incidentally, was the church where students of the Scots college in Spain, among them our parish priest, attended Mass on their visits to the capital. It is a short walk from the site of the original Scots College at the top of the Gran Via.

After four centuries Isidore was enrolled among the saints by Pope Gregory XV. He is the Patron of the City of Madrid and Pope Pius XII declared him Patron of Farmers.

Related Links: Scots College