Saint of the Day: St. Isidore of Seville

Bishop and Doctor of the Church (ca. 565-636)

His life

+ Isidore was educated by his brother, Saint Leander, and his brother, Fulgentius, and sister, Florentina, are also honored as saints

+ In his writings, Isidore was motivated by two goals: to stop the destruction of barbarian tribes in Spain and to combat the Arian heresy

+ Around the year 600, Isidore succeeded Saint Leander as bishop of Seville. Although he was an influential pastor and administrator, he is most especially remembered for his prolific writings

+ Saint Isidore died on April 4, 636, and was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1722

+ Saint Isidore is credited with creating the first encyclopedia and his writings went well beyond philosophy and theology, touching on every facet of life. The most influential author of his time, there are more surviving manuscript copies of his works than any other medieval writer. Although it isn’t an official title, there are many today who honor Saint Isidore as the patron saint of the internet.

For prayer and reflection

“All spiritual growth comes from reading and reflection. By reading we learn what we did not know; by reflection we retain what we have learned.

Reading the holy Scriptures confers two benefits. It trains the mind to understand them; it turns man’s attention from the follies of the world and leads him to the love of God.”—Saint Isidore of Seville

Spiritual bonus

“They praised in unison your conquering hand, O Lord,
for wisdom opened mouths that were mute
and gave eloquence to the tongues of infants, alleluia.”—Entrance Antiphon for Thursday in the Octave of Easter

Prayer

O God, who have united the many nations
in confessing your name,
grant that those reborn in the font of Baptism
may be one in the faith of their hearts
and the homage of their deeds.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(from The Roman Missal: Collect for the Thursday in the Octave of Easter)
Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.