Saint Isidore the Farmer

The life of this holy plowman was admirable. His ordinary task, which was to guide the plow, did not prevent him from being perfectly pious and having all his hours regulated for spiritual exercises. He devoted feast days entirely to prayer, to hearing the word of God, to attending the offices sung in the church, and above all to hearing Mass with extreme devotion. On working days, he rose very early in the morning, even though he had spent a large part of the night in prayer, and visited the principal churches of Madrid, which he often watered with a torrent of tears. He thus took time from his sleep to satisfy his devotion, and arrived exactly on time for his work. Nevertheless, his companions accused him to their master of placing superfluous devotion before the duties of his station. John de Vergas, to verify for himself the validity of these accusations, examined very closely how Isidore worked. O wonder! He saw one day two mysterious figures, with a completely celestial appearance, who were helping the holy plowman to guide his plow. He learned from the very mouth of Isidore that they were angels, and he was persuaded, from that moment on, that piety is useful for everything when one knows how to combine it with one's other obligations. He no longer looked upon Isidore as anything but an extraordinary man who would attract the blessings of heaven upon his property and his entire family. Indeed, the Saint performed many miracles in his favor. He brought back to life one of his horses that had died and of which he had an extreme need. His daughter having died after a long and painful illness, he resurrected her: a great joy for an inconsolable father. One day, when John de Vergas had come to see him in the field where he was plowing, he miraculously caused a fountain to spring forth to relieve his thirst by merely striking the earth: this fountain has not ceased to flow since that time, and even serves for the healing of the sick. A wolf was carrying off one of his cattle: instead of running after it, he began to pray, and his prayer was so effective that it caused the wolf to die suddenly and delivered the animal it was about to slaughter and devour. Thus this master, who knew how necessary such a faithful servant was to him, entrusted the entire management of his land to him: it was, it is said, the estate of Caramancha the Lower, located near the hermitage of Saint Mary Magdalene.

Although not wealthy, Isidore was liberal towards the poor; he often shared his dinner with them, or rather, he contented himself with their leftovers. One day, having given everything away, a new beggar appeared; Isidore asked his wife to see if there was any food left. Although she knew there was nothing, she went out of obedience and found the dish, which she believed to be empty, as full as if they had not yet touched it. God had performed a miracle to reward and support their charity.

Another time, having been invited to a brotherhood feast, he spent so much time in prayer and visiting churches that he only arrived at the end of the meal. Upon entering, he was followed by a multitude of poor people who had gathered around the house in the hope of receiving some leftovers as alms. The brothers told him it was strange that he had come so late and that he was dragging such a large number of poor people with him; they added that his portion had been saved for him, but not for the beggars. He replied: "It is enough; it will suffice for me and for the poor of Jesus Christ." Indeed, those who went to fetch this portion found an entire meal, and by this great prodigy of God's liberality, there was enough to provide a second banquet; Isidore brought all the poor inside and ate with them more pleasantly than he would have with the brothers who had invited him.

Isidore's kindness of heart extended even to animals. One winter day, when the ground was covered in snow, having left his home with a sack of wheat on his back to take it to the mill, he came to a place where many families of birds were perched on the trees, exposed to the torments of cold and hunger. At this sight, moved by pity, he cleared the snow with his hands and feet, set his sack on the ground, opened it, and scattered a good portion of the grain, which the poor starving little ones immediately came to peck at. His companion, less compassionate, mocked him for squandering his wheat in this way; but God showed that this charitable action had pleased Him. Upon arriving at the mill, Isidore saw his sack full, as if no one had touched it, and under the millstone, they found a quantity of flour equal to the ordinary yield of two sacks of wheat. How far removed is this conduct of Saint Isidore from that of many country folk who treat with harshness, sometimes with revolting barbarity, not only the small birds, so useful to their fields, but the animals that are the docile and indispensable companions of their labors!

There was no place of devotion around Madrid that he did not visit most assiduously. He went especially very often to the chapel of Our Lady of Torrelaguna, to that of Our Lady of Atocha, and to that of Saint Mary Magdalene. His wife, who was a perfect imitator of his virtue, always kept him faithful company on these pilgrimages, until she retired entirely to a small estate near the hermitage of Caraquiz. As she was going from there to a church of the Blessed Virgin, having found the river Xamara overflowing from an unexpected flood, she spread her apron over the river and crossed it on this improvised boat with the same confidence as if she had walked on dry land. She performed other miracles as well, which earned her, after her death, the name and honors of a Saint. She is called, in Spain, Sancta Maria de la Cabeza; she was, it is said, so named because of her Sancta Maria de la Cabeza Wife of Saint Isidore, also honored as a saint. holy head which, placed in a separate reliquary, is often carried in procession to obtain rain from God: for de la Cabeza means, in our language, of the chief or of the head. She was first buried in the small hermitage of Caraquiz, in the middle of the sacristy; later, her bones having been raised from the earth, they were hidden in a more secret place, and her skull was placed in the reliquary of which we have just spoken. Finally, in the year 1615, the whole body was transferred to Torrelaguna, where it is honored by all of Spain with many vows, pilgrimages, and processions.

Saint Isidore died some time before her, in a manner as holy and edifying as his life had been pure, on May 15, 1170. He was buried in the cemetery of Saint Andrew in Mad rid, where Saint-André Initial burial place and site of veneration for the body of Isidore. he remained forgotten for forty years. After this time, he appeared in a dream to one of his old friends and urged him to procure the elevation and translation of his body; but this man neglected to do so, which brought upon him a violent illness. The Saint appeared a second time to a very virtuous lady and told her, on behalf of God, not to delay in procuring him this honor. She spoke of it to the clergy of Madrid; they went to the place of his burial, opened his tomb, and found hi m as wh tombeau The body of the saint found intact forty years after his death. ole and as fresh as if he had died that very day, even though he had been placed under a gutter, whose waters alone were capable of corrupting him in a short time. He was therefore raised from the earth with great devotion and carried into the church of Saint Andrew. Two wonders increased the veneration for this Saint. An odor so pleasant emanated from his limbs and his shrouds that it perfumed the air in a delightful way; and as this ceremony took place at night, all the bells of the city rang of their own accord. Such an extraordinary event immediately drew a large part of the city to his coffin. Many sick people who were in the crowd were healed. Paralytics, the lame, and the blind, who had been seen begging for alms in the streets and public squares, recovered the use of their limbs and organs and returned healed to their homes. The neighboring villages also wished to share in such a great feast, and the protection of Saint Isidore spread equally to them. From then on, his venerable image was displayed in public, and as many people had seen him and knew the particular circumstances of his life, sacred paintings were made that have preserved his memory.

The celestial music that was often heard at his tomb further encouraged the honoring of this great servant of God. The voice of all the people, with the consent of the prelates and ecclesiastical superiors, having already as it were canonized him, they began to carry his body in procession to avert the scourges of God and to attract his blessings. One day, when it was being carried because of an extreme drought that was devastating the whole country, a Moorish and Mahometan astrologer mocked this devotion and, trusting in the calculations of his art, said aloud that if it rained within twenty-four hours, he wished to be stabbed. However, God heard the prayers of the people, who had such a powerful intercessor before him. The sky was covered with clouds, and it rained in such abundance that the whole earth was watered. The Moor saw the miracle, but he did not cease to remain in his infidelity: he was punished for this resistance to grace; he died shortly after in the manner he had spoken of in his oath.

In the year 1211, Don Alfonso, King of Castile, while waging war against the Moors in the pass called Las Navas de Tolosa, was searching in vain for a path by which he could go to attack the enemy; but Saint Isidore appeared to him and showed him an easy and unknown way. By this means, the king won a signal victory over the infidels. Such a great favor, obtained through the merits of this holy laborer, prompted the kings of Spain to pursue his canonization. An innumerable number of miracles which were subsequently performed through his intercession, and which are reported at great length by the continuators of Bollandus, stimulated the zeal of those who were working for this canonization; but what led the King of Spain, Philip III, to make the final efforts to obtain it was the miraculous healing he received on November 16, 1619, after he had the body of this blessed Confessor, which was found still intact, brought into his chamber. By a decree of Pope Gregory XV, on Ma rch 22, 1622, Sa pape Grégoire XV Pope who elevated the congregation to the rank of a regular order in 1621. int Isidore was canonized with Saint Ignatius, Sain t Francis Xa saint Ignace Founder of the Society of Jesus and friend of Philip. vier, Saint Teresa, and Saint Philip Neri: they were called the five Saints.

Saint Isidore has been depicted: holding a spade; causing a spring to gush from the ground with the iron of a type of lance or gardener's tool: we have mentioned above the circumstance in which Saint Isidore caused this fountain to spring forth: this may be one of the reasons for which he is invoked against drought; holding a sheaf; on the same plane, with Saint Mary de la Cabeza, his wife; praying while his master, hidden behind trees, watches him, and Angels plow his field; on his knees: near him, his donkey having just killed a wolf that wanted to eat him; guiding a plow in a furrow: this manner also indicates his profession; being carried to the grave: an angel rings a church bell during the funeral procession.

This Life was written by John, deacon, around the year 1 261. Many ot Jean, diacre Host of Simeon at Emesa and the saint's first biographer. her authors have worked on it since and have added recent miracles: such as Jacques Méda, of the Order of Saint Dominic, and Jérôme Quintana, notary of the Holy Office in Madrid. As for the cult of Saint Isidore's wife, it was approved by Innocent XII Innocent XII Pope who beatified Saint Zita in 1696. , in 1697.