Saint Isidore the Farmer, also sometimes known as Saint Isidore the Farm Laborer, was a Spanish farmworker that was known for his reverence towards animals and the poor. In the Catholic tradition, he is the patron saint of Madrid, farmers, and day laborers. He is also the patron saint of Chile and Spain.
He is also the central star of the Feast Day of St Isidore that’s observed on May 15th around the world, especially in Spain. Because it’s a municipal holiday in Spain, many schools and banks are closed on this day, and some businesses will have reduced operating hours.
About Isidore the Laborer
Isidore was born in the year 1080 in Madrid, Spain to devout but extremely poor parents. He was christened Isidore after his parents’ patron: Saint Isidore of Seville. He would gon on to spend his life as a hired hand for Juan de Vargas—a wealthy Madrilenian landowner. He made a point out of sharing what he had, even his meals, with those less fortunate than himself.
He would eventually work himself up from being a laborer to being a bailiff of Lower Caramanca. On May 15, 1130, at the age of 59, Isidore died in Madrid. On May 2, 1619, he would be Beatified by Pope Paul V, and on March 12, 1622, he would be Canonized by Pope Gregory XV.
Observing The Feast Day Of St. Isidore In Spain
In Spain, it’s traditional for the faithful to visit Madrid on a pilgrimage to San Isidro’s meadow and to observe this feast day by drinking the water from his fountain in his hermitage’s patio.
It’s also a day when there’s a huge fiesta in Madrid that begins on the Friday before the 15th and lasts until the Sunday following it. People dress in Madrid’s regional dress, enjoy the fiesta at Plaza Mayor, and visit various concerts. There is also plenty of food, singing and dancing during this 9-day party.
When is Feast Day Of St Isidore? |
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| This year (2023) | May 15 (Monday) |
| Next year (2024) | May 15 (Wednesday) |
| Last year (2022) | May 15 (Sunday) |