Isidore of Seville

Who they were

Isidore came from a family from Cartagena and lost his father young. He was raised by his elder brother Leander, who preceded him as bishop of Seville; Leander, another brother and a sister all became religious and are venerated as saints.

As bishop of Seville, Isidore wrote on everything, driven by an immense curiosity. His Etymologies, in twenty books arranged by subject - grammar, rhetoric, mathematics, music, medicine, agriculture, astronomy, languages, theology - is considered the first encyclopedia, and he also wrote commentaries on the historical books of the Old Testament.

The miracles

There was never a formal cause: Isidore has been honoured as a saint since his death. Innocent XIII proclaimed him a Doctor of the Church in 1722. In St John Paul II's time he was proposed as patron of the internet, though never officially named.

Why that counted as sanctity

Isidore gathered all the knowledge of a world in collapse and put it at the service of faith and of his people, so that learning would not be lost.

Connected on this site

• Braulio of Zaragoza Saint Pupil
  “His influence reached bishops and kings, and it was at his urging that his friend St Isidore of Seville wrote the Etymologies.” — this site's research
• Florentina Saint Brother or sister
  “Florentina was the sister of three Iberian bishops in the time of the Visigothic dominion (Leander, Isidore of Seville, and Fulgentius).” — Wikipedia
• Fulgentius of Cartagena Saint Brother or sister
  “Fulgentius was the brother of Sts Leander and Isidore of Seville and St Florentina, and like them gave himself to the Church.” — this site's research
• Leander of Seville Saint Brother or sister
  “At a time of disintegration of classical culture, aristocratic violence, and widespread illiteracy, Isidore was involved in the conversion of the Arian Visigothic kings to Catholicism, both assisting his brother Leander of Seville and continuing after Leander's death.” — Wikipedia
• John Paul II Saint
  “In St John Paul II's time he was proposed as patron of the internet, though never officially named.” — this site's research
• Justus of Urgell Saint
  “He is mentioned by Isidore of Seville, who considered him one of the “illustrious men" of whose lives he wrote.” — Wikipedia