St Isidore the farm-labourer (c. 1080-1130) patron of Madrid
Farm-labourer
Born of devout parents, Isidore was
named by them after St Isidore of Seville.
He worked all his life as a
farm-labourer for the same farmer, John de Vargas, at
Torrelaguna, outside Madrid, Spain, the city of which he is now the
patron saint.
His wife, Maria Toribia
He was a model worker, a
kind neighbour and a most devout Christian. His wife, Maria Toribia,
resembled him in character and is popularly looked upon as a saint in
Spain.
They had a son, who died young; after that they live together as
brother and sister.
Reputation for holiness and miracles
Isidore
would rise early to visit a church and he prayed for long periods while
he was guiding the plough. He would spend his holidays on visits to
local shrines.
One story about him is that his employer, John, who
had accused Isidore of arriving late for work, had a vision of a second
team of white oxen led by angels ploughing alongside Isidore.
Another
story tells that while Isidore was giving half of a bag of corn he had
on his back to the birds, his yield of flour kept miraculously
increasing,
Miracles after his death and canonisation
Even
after his death, stories of miracles continued. He is said to have
guided King Alphonsus of Castile to make a surprise attack to defeat the
Moors.
In 1615 King Philip III of Spain was cured of mortal fever
through bringing the body of St Isidore from the Church of St Andrew,
Madrid, into the king's room.
Because of this, King Philip then
petitioned the Holy See for his canonisation.
This was done without
delay and he was included along with three other famous Spanish saints -
Ignatius Loyola, Francis Xavier and Teresa of Avila - in 1622.
His
incorrupt remains lie in the Church of St Andrew, Madrid.
In art, St
Isidore's emblem is a sickle.