Daily Saint

St. Isidore’s Etymologiae was one of the most influential books of the Middle Ages. Serving as an early encyclopedia, it gathered and organized knowledge from many fields at a time when access to learning was limited. This work was a monumental 20-volume encyclopedia that preserved the classical knowledge of the Middle Ages and integrated it with ancient learning on a variety of subjects, earning St. Isidore the title “Schoolmaster of the Middle Ages.” As Roman infrastructure collapsed, he recognized the need to compile a comprehensive summary of classical, theological, and scientific knowledge to preserve it for posterity, drawing on the knowledge of more than two hundred authors. The work covers diverse topics, including law, medicine, theology, mathematics, and natural history, using a method that explains the meaning of words to define the topics. This immense work enabled scholars, even when separated from the original source texts, to access the wisdom of the past, earning St. Isidore the title of Patron Saint of the Internet.

St. Leander of Seville, who died around 600, personally prepared his younger brother, St. Isidore, to succeed him as archbishop. He served as St. Isidore’s mentor, guardian, and teacher after their parents died. As an older brother, St. Leander, who was Archbishop of Seville, ensured St. Isidore received a thorough education in grammar, logic, rhetoric, and Scripture, laying the intellectual foundation for his future role. He also mentored St. Isidore in the Church’s crucial work of navigating and shaping the religious and political shifts in the Visigothic kingdom. St. Leander’s foundational training and spiritual guidance prepared St. Isidore for the pastoral challenges of leading the Church in Spain, enabling him to continue his brother’s work.