Born in Spain, he lived in Cartagena. As a son born into a Christian family, that influenced his life and career. History has it that he was a younger brother to three other saints in the church’s records Saints Leander, Flugentius and Florentina.
Isiodore in the year 599 was appointed to succeed his own brother at Seville and to govern the great see for 37 years. During this period he recorded a great success. It was during his time that Visigoths who has governed Spain for 200 year got converted from Arianism into the Christian fold.
He is known for his discipline and great intelligence. He was considered as the last of the Ancient Christian philosophers and great Latin fathers. As a ‘School-master of the Middle Ages’ he mastered every branch of science. Best known among his prolific and versatile writings is his Etymologiae, a systematic collection of all the knowledge of his time, which became in the Middle Ages the most popular text book for instruction in theology, asceticism, history, geography, astronomy, grammar, biography, etc.
He died on 4th April 636, and was canonised in 1598 and declared a Doctor of the church by Pope Benedict XIV in 1722.