St Isidore of Seville

Isidore was born to a very holy and devout family. Two of his brothers and one of his sisters also became saints. Isidore’s father died when he was small and his older brother Leander was put in charge of Isidore's schooling. Leander became frustrated and angry at his younger brother because he felt that Isidore was not trying hard enough at his studies. He was very mean to Isidore. Isidore soon realized that if he tried hard enough, he could learn all that his older brother wanted him to. He started taking his schooling more seriously and he is now remembered for being one of the smartest people to have lived during his time. Isidore used his knowledge to start seminaries and Catholic universities in every Diocese in Spain. He also wrote many books; he wrote about the heros and heroines of the Bible; he wrote a dictionary; an encyclopedia and one book was on the history of the world, starting with God’s creation. Isidore later became a priest and then the Bishop of Seville; he served for 37 years in that role. The people of Seville loved their Bishop because he showed them Jesus’ love. Poor people were always welcomed in his home and in the last year of his life, his house was crowded with the poor, as he served them with Jesus’ love until he died. Because of the great teachings he left for the Church, St. Isidore was named a Doctor of the Church.