Saint Isidore of Seville
Image Courtesy: Catholic Online
(Franciscan Media) Isidore born in Spain Cartagena, three of his siblings — two brothers Leander and Fulgentius that became Bishops, together with his sister Florentina who became a Nun were later Canonized as Saints along with him.
As the Archbishop of Seville, Leander became an important influence on his younger brother Isidore, helping him to develop a commitment to study, prayer and intense work for the good of the Church. Isidore in turn, joined his brother’s mission to convert the generally heretical Visigoth’s had invaded the land a century and a half earlier and shortly before Isidore’s birth and followers of the Arian Heresy splitting Spain in two.
Isidore reunited Spain, making it a center of culture and learning–the country served as a teacher and guide for other European countries whose culture was also threatened by barbarian invaders.
When Isidore’s brother Leander died around 600, Isidore succeeded him as Archbishop of Seville, inheriting his brother’s responsibility for Church affairs in an intense period of change.
For the good of the Church and civilization, Isidore was determined to preserve the wisdom and knowledge of the past, maintaining the fruitful synthesis of classical Roman culture and Christian faith, while intent on preventing false teachings from shattering the unity of the Church in Spain.
Responsible above all for the good of the Church, Isidore sought the common good by encouraging study and development in areas such as Law, Medicine, Foreign Languages and Philosophy.
Sometimes called ‘The Schoolmaster of the Middle Ages’ because of the encyclopedia that he wrote written from a Catholic perspective that was used as a textbook for nine centuries.
Under Isidore’s leadership, he required seminaries to be constructed in every diocese, wrote a Rule for Religious Orders and founded schools that taught every branch of learning–never neglecting the service of those in need.
“Indeed just as we must love God in contemplation, so we must love our neighbor with action,” Isidore declared. “It is therefore impossible to live without the presence of both the one and the other form of life, nor can we love without experiencing both the one and the other.”
In the last month’s of Isidore’s life, he offered a moving testament to these words, intensifying his charitable outreach to the poor. Crowds of people in need flocked to his residence from afar, as Bishop Isidore offered his final works of mercy on earth.
Isidore died on this date in 636 and later named a Doctor of the Church, In 1598 he was Canonized by Pope Clement VIII and was named the Patron Saint of Schoolchildren and students–more recently, its been proposed that he also be named a Patron Saint of ‘Internet Users’ because of his determination to use the world’s accumulated knowledge for the service of God’s glory.
Tweet
mposlot
» Today Christians Commemorate St. Isidore of Seville, Patron Saint of Schoolchildren & Students Cristy Li