Feast Day 15 May: s'Horta
1070 - 1130
A farm labourer, he is a rare example of a married saint.
His wife was St Mary de la Cabeza (died 1175: feast day 9 Sept.).
Their only son died very young, convincing them it was the will of
God they should have no children and they lived chastely together
for the rest of their lives. Said by his fellow workers to be
shirking his farm duties to attend church or pray, his master went
to remonstrate with him and found angels ploughing for him.
St Isidore is one of the most well documented of the incorruptibles.
As a very poor man, he was buried directly in the earth, with neither
coffin nor gravestone. Forty years later when his body was exhumed to
be moved to a more fitting tomb, an eyewitness said, it looked as if
he had just died.
When it was exhumed on a second occasion in 1622
witnesses, including a minister of king, testified it was fresh and
emitted a “heavenly odour” and signed a declaration to this effect.
Patron saint of agricultural workers and death of children.
He is also the patron saint of Madrid where he was born, lived and died.