Saint Isidore the Farmer’s real name was Isidro de Merlo y Quintana. He was born in the year 1070 AD in Madrid. His parents were poor but very devout. Many marvelous happenings accompanied his lifelong work in the fields and continued long after his death. He was favored with celestial visions and, it is said, the angels sometimes helped him in his work in the fields.
Isidore was a laborer for a wealthy Madrilenian landowner. Isidore was very generous and would share what he had with the poor, including his food. Because of this, the landowner eventually promoted him to the position of a bailiff of the entire estate. Isidore married Maria Torribia who is also known as Santa María de la Cabeza in Spain. She is pending canonization confirmation by Pope Francis. At one time, their young son fell into a deep well and after the couple prayed, it is said that the water of the well miraculously rose to ground level and brought the child with it. Their son later died in his youth. Through this they realized that it was the will of God for them to not have children, so they lived together chastely the rest of their lives, doing good works.
The number of miracles attributed to Isidore has been counted at 438. The are also numerous miraculous stories including a time when he was on his way to the mill to grind wheat. He came across a flock of pigeons scratching on the hard surface of the snowy ground looking for food but in vain. He felt sorry for the hungry birds and poured out half of his precious sack of wheat. The onlookers mocked him, but he did not mind. When he reached the mill, his bag of wheat was full and when the wheat was ground, the flour was said to yield double the expected production.
Died in 1130 AD of natural causes. On April 2, 1212, in Madrid, heavy rains caused the exhumation of cadavers from cemeteries. St. Isidore’s body was found intact in a state of incorruptibility. He was beatified in Rome on 2 May 1619 by Pope Paul V. He was canonized nearly three years later by Pope Gregory XV, along with Saints Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Teresa of Ávila and Philip Neri, on 12 March 1622. His feast day is celebrated on May 15th.
St Isidore is the Patron Saint of agricultural workers, farm workers, farmers, field hands, husbandmen, ranchers, and day laborers. He is also the patron saint for livestock, rain, rural communities, the United States National Rural Life Conference, World Youth Day 2011, and numerous diocese and cities throughout the world.
From catholicreadings.org; catholicnewsagency.com; catholic.org.
