St. Isidore the Farmer

Their story

Isidore was born around 1070 to a poor family near Madrid, Spain. He never went to school, and as a young man he went to work as a hired laborer on the farm of a wealthy landowner named John de Vargas. He worked that same land for the rest of his life. He married Maria Toribia, a woman as devout as he was, who is also honored as a saint. They had one son, who died as a child. Isidore began every day by going to Mass before work. Some of the other laborers complained to their master that he was arriving late to the fields. According to a well-loved story, when the landowner came to check on him, he saw Isidore plowing with angels working beside him, so that his work was done as well as anyone's. Isidore prayed as he worked and treated his animals with kindness. Isidore and Maria were known for their generosity. Though they had very little, they always shared their food with the poor, and stories tell that whenever Isidore gave away food, there was somehow still enough. One winter day he scattered grain on the snowy ground for hungry birds, and the sack was full again when he reached the mill. Isidore died around 1130. He was canonized in 1622, on the same day as Sts. Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Teresa of Ávila and Philip Neri. He is a patron of farmers and of Madrid.