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Lives of Ss. Isidore and Maria

Isidore was born in 1070 and lived until 1130. Juan Egidio de Zamora, Deacon of St. Andreas in Madrid, who wrote Isidore's biography in 1265, recorded that every morning Isidore would go to church and that his fellow farmers resented Isidore's spending so much time in prayer and still managing to have a productive harvest. After hiding to watch Isidore work, his neighbor was astounded to see Isidore being helped by angels as he drove his team of oxen. Forty years after his death, Isidore's body was transferred to a shrine and his cult grew as a result of additional miracles attributed to his intercession, including King Philip II's recovery from a serious illness. He was canonized by Pope Gregory XV on 22. March 1622 along with Ignatius Loyola, Francis Xavier, Theresa of Avila, and Philip Neri. By a special decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, dated 22. February 1947, St. Isidore was constituted as the special protector of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference and all American farmers.

His wife was born in the 11th century as Maria Torribia and died in 1175. Her head, conserved in a reliquary and carried in procession, has often brought down rain from heaven for the afflicted countryside and thus is responsible for her appellation de la Cabeza. Her remains are honored throughout Spain by pilgrimages and processions at Torrelaguna, where they were transferred in 1615. Inhabitants of Torrejón, Caraquiz, and other cities all claim Maria as her own. In 1511 Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros renovated the reliquary of her head. She was canonized on 11. August 1697 by Pope Innocent XII and her feast day is commemorated on 9. September. By the same decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, dated 22. February 1947, St. Maria was constituted with her husband as the special protector of the NCRLC.

Saint Isidore is portrayed as a peasant holding a sickle and a sheaf of corn. He might also be shown (1) with a sickle and staff (2) as an angel plows for him, (3) giving a rosary to children by a well, mattock on his feet, water springing from the well, (4) striking water from dry earth with an angel plowing in the background, (5) before a cross, or (6) with an angel and white oxen near him.

Some interesting resources in Spanish may be found at Congregacion S. Isidro, Madrid.