Catholic Saints

St. Isidore served as the Archbishop of Seville for more than thirty years.  He is considered the last scholar of the ancient world.  All of the later medieval history writing of Hispania was based on his histories.  He lived at a time of the disintegration of classical culture, aristocratic violence and illiteracy, and had an important influence on the beginnings of representative government.  

Isidore was born in Cartagena, Spain to Servianus and Theodora.  His father belonged to a Hispano-Roman family of high social rank while his mother was distantly related to Visigothic Royalty.  His parents were also members of an influential family who were instrumental in the political religious maneuvering that converted the Visigothic Kings from Arianism to Catholicism.  The Catholic Church celebrates him and all his siblings as known saints – Elder brother St. Leander of Seville; younger brother St. Fulgentius of Cartagena; and sister St. Florentina.

Isidore received his elementary education in the Cathedral School of Seville.  In this institution, the first of its kind of Iberia, a body of learned men including his brother Archbishop St. Leander of Seville taught the classic liberal arts.  St. Isidore applied himself to study diligently enough that he quickly mastered at least a beginner’s level of Latin, some Greek and Hebrew.  After the death of St. Leander of Seville in March 600, St. Isidore succeeded to the See of Seville. He recognized that the spiritual and material welfare of the people of his See depended on both Roman and Visigothic cultures, he attempted to weld the peoples and subcultures toward this end.  He practically eradicated the heresy of Arianism and completely stifled the new heresy of Acephali at its very outset.  St. Isidore strengthened Religious discipline throughout the See.  St. Isidore of Seville died on April 4^th, 636 after serving more than three decades as Archbishop of Seville.  

Practical Take Away

St. Isidore of Seville was the archbishop of Seville for more than three decades.  He came from a family of saints, two of his brothers – St. Leander and St. Fulgentius, and a sister St. Florentina.  He worked hard to bring culture into the flock he served, and worked thirty years to bring the Roman and Visigothic cultures together.  He is also noted for eradicating Arianism.  He worked diligently to fight against heresy, and is venerated for his dedicated service to the Church and the great leadership to his flock, for over thirty years.