St. Isidore of Seville, born in AD 560, was the son of a noble Roman family residing in Cartagena, Spain. He was the younger brother of three other saints, namely, Leander, Archbishop of Seville, Fulgentius, Bishop of Astigi, and Florentina, the nun said to have governed 1,000 religious in 40 convents. In 599, Isidore was chosen to succeed his brother at Seville and governed the diocese for 37 years with the utmost success. It was under him that the Visigoths, who had been ruling Spain for almost 200 years, were finally converted from Arianism.
Among his synods, the fourth national council at Toledo in 633 was particularly important in that it obliged each Bishop to establish a seminary in his respective diocese and to encourage the study of Greek and Hebrew, law, and medicine. An amazingly learned man, Isidore himself is considered the last of the ancient Christian philosophers and great Latin Fathers. St Isidore said, "The suffering of adversity does not degrade you but exalts you. Human tribulation teaches you; it does not destroy you. The more we are afflicted in this world, the greater is our assurance for the next. The more we sorrow in the present, the greater will be our joy in the future."
Isidore compiled a Spanish missal and breviary and is regarded as the author of the beautiful Mozarabic liturgy. This "School-master of the Middle Ages" had mastered every branch of science. Best known among his prolific and versatile writings is his Etymologiae, a systematic collection of all the knowledge of his time, which became in the Middle Ages the most popular textbook for instruction in theology, asceticism history, geography, astronomy, grammar, biography, etc. Isidore died on 4 April 636, was canonized in 1598, and was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIV in 1722.
St. Isidore of Seville, obtain for us a fiery zeal for the Kingdom of God.
Prepared and updated by:
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Penampang, Sabah Malaysia.
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