May 15:
SAINT ISIDORE THE FARMER
Patron saint of farmers.

Short biography

Saint Isidore was beatified by Paul V on June 14, 1619 and the celebration of his feast day was placed on May 15.  Gregory XV canonized Saint Isidro on March 12, 1622.  Nevertheless, the death of the Pontiff caused the Bull of Canonization of Saint Isidro, “Rationi Congruit”, to be delayed until June 4, 1724, when it was signed by Benedict XIII.  

Saint Isidore has been the patron of Madrid since 1212, and his feast has been celebrated as a holiday in the capital of Spain since 1621. In 1769, King Charles III ordered his incorrupt body to be moved to the Church of Saint Isidore of Madrid, the old Imperial College of the Jesuits.  His body remains incorrupt in the Cathedral of Madrid.

Pope John XXIII extended the patronage of Saint Isidore to Spanish farmers and field workers in the Bull “Agri Culturam” given in Rome on December 16, 1960. 

Below you have our English translation of Pope Benedict XIII’s
Bull of the saint’s canonization, Rationi congruit

In Mantua Carpetana, seat of the kings of Spain, commonly called Madrid, belonging to the diocese of Toledo, born of humble but pious and Catholic parents, Isidro lived in the twelfth century.

From his childhood, Isidro practiced the Christian virtues with such a degree of perfection that in his adult life he preferred to live of agriculture, because it seemed to him the humblest, most tasking, suitable and secure profession for the salvation of his soul.

All his life he carried out his work in a way that would not be an obstacle, not even a single day, for his pious practices and religious life. He never went to work without first attending the holy sacrifice of the Mass, and having implored the help of God and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

On many occasions he was protected as a favor of heaven, particularly when he was accused before the landlord of the land he cultivated, of being negligent in his work for his excessive dedication to practices of piety. The landlord, full of anger, marched to the field which was supposedly abandoned, to punish Isidro. Upon his arrival, he saw him plow with his yoke of oxen, between two others, guided by so many young people, dressed in white, who disappeared as soon as he approached Isidro. Then the landlord understood what Isidro had assured him many times: that the hours he dedicated to the divine service were not lost hours.

Isidro’s charity was so great to others that, even though he was poor, he deprived himself of what was necessary to give it to the needy. One day a beggar came to ask for alms. Very distressed Isidro for not having with what to help him, he urged his pious wife to give him food. She, at the insistence of Isidro, even knowing that the pot was empty, obeyed him, checked it again and again. He found it, at the end, full of food. He was able to extract food from the pot in abundance and satiate the hunger of that beggar. So great was the confidence of this good man in God, that in all matters, though great and difficult, he remained secure and hopeful. God revealed the merits and holiness of Saint Isidore with many other great miracles, made during his life.

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Dear brethren in Christ, through St. Isidore the Farmer’s intercession let us pray for those who dedicate their life to till the land to provide food for everyone. May we like him also learn to find, love and glorify God in our daily profession.

COLLECT
Lord God, all creation is yours, and you call us to serve you by caring for the gifts that surround us. May the example of St. Isidore urge us to share our food with the hungry and to work for the salvation of mankind.

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