Editing Isidore of Seville (section)

==Life==

===Childhood and education===
Isidore was born in [[Cartagena, Spain]], a former Carthaginian colony, to Severianus and Theodora. Both Severian and Theodora belonged to notable [[Hispano-Roman]] families of high social rank.<ref>Priscilla Throop, ''Isidore of Seville's Etymologies: Complete English Translation''. Vermont: MedievalMS, 2005, p. xi.</ref> His parents were members of an influential family who were instrumental in the political-religious manoeuvring that [[Religious conversion|converted]] the [[Visigothic Kingdom|Visigothic kings]] from Arianism to [[Chalcedonian Christianity]]. The Catholic and Orthodox Churches celebrate him and all his siblings as known saints:
* An elder brother, [[Leander of Seville]], immediately preceded Isidore as Archbishop of Seville and, while in office, opposed King [[Liuvigild]].
* A younger brother, [[Fulgentius of Cartagena]], served as the [[Diocese|Bishop]] of [[Astigi]] at the start of the new reign of the Christian King [[Reccared]].
* His sister, [[Saint Florentina|Florentina of Cartagena]], was a nun who allegedly ruled over forty convents and one thousand consecrated religious. This claim seems unlikely, however, given the few functioning monastic institutions in Spania during her lifetime.<ref>[[Roger Collins]], ''Early Medieval Spain''. New York: St Martin's Press, 1995, pp. 79–86.</ref>

Isidore received his elementary education in the Cathedral school of Seville. In this institution, the first of its kind in Spania, a body of learned men including Archbishop Leander of Seville taught the [[trivium (education)|trivium]] and [[quadrivium]], the classic [[liberal arts]]. Isidore applied himself to study diligently enough that he quickly mastered classical Latin,<ref>"His literary style, though lucid, is pedestrian": Katherine Nell MacFarlane's observation, in "Isidore of Seville on the Pagan Gods (Origines VIII. 11)", ''Transactions of the American Philosophical Society'', New Series, '''70'''.3 (1980):1–40, p. 4, reflects mainstream secular opinion.</ref> and acquired some [[Greek language|Greek]] and [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]].

Two centuries of Gothic control of Iberia incrementally suppressed the ancient institutions, classical learning, and manners of the [[Roman Empire]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sack |first=Harald |date=2020-04-04 |title=The Encyclopaedia of Saint Isidore of Seville {{!}} SciHi Blog |url=http://scihi.org/encyclopaedia-saint-isidor-seville/ |access-date=2024-04-08 |language=en-US}}</ref> The associated culture entered a period of long-term decline. The ruling [[Visigoths]] nevertheless showed some respect for the outward trappings of Roman culture. Arianism meanwhile took deep root among the Visigoths as the form of Christianity that they received.

Scholars may debate whether Isidore ever personally embraced monastic life or affiliated with any religious order, but he undoubtedly esteemed the monks highly.

===Bishop of Seville===
[[Image:Isidoro de Sevilla (José Alcoverro) 01.jpg|thumb|A statue of Isidore of Seville by [[José Alcoverro]], 1892, outside the {{Lang|es|[[Biblioteca Nacional de España]]|italic=no}}, in [[Madrid]]]]
[[Image:San Isidoro, Portada del Bautismo de la Catedral de Sevilla.jpg|thumb|[[Seville Cathedral]]. Sculpture by [[Lorenzo Mercadante|Lorenzo Mercadante de Bretaña]]]]

After the death of [[Leander of Seville]] on 13 March 600 or 601, Isidore succeeded to the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seville|See of Seville]]. On his elevation to the [[Bishop|episcopate]], he immediately constituted himself as the protector of monks.

Recognising that the spiritual and material welfare of the people of his see depended on the assimilation of remnant Roman and ruling barbarian cultures, Isidore attempted to weld the peoples and subcultures of the Visigothic kingdom into a united nation. He used all available religious resources toward this end and succeeded. Isidore practically eradicated the heresy of [[Arianism]] and completely stifled the new [[heresy]] of [[Acephali]] at its outset. Archbishop Isidore strengthened religious discipline throughout his see.

Archbishop Isidore also used resources of education to counteract increasingly influential Gothic barbarism throughout his episcopal jurisdiction. His quickening spirit animated the educational movement centered on Seville. Isidore introduced his countrymen to [[Aristotle]] long before the Arabs studied Greek philosophy extensively.

In 619 Isidore of Seville pronounced anathema against any ecclesiastic who in any way should molest the monasteries.

===Second Synod of Seville (November 619)===
{{Main|Second Council of Seville}}

Isidore presided over the Second Council of Seville, begun on 13 November 619 in the reign of King [[Sisebut]], a provincial council attended by eight other bishops, all from the ecclesiastical province of Baetica in southern Spain. The Acts of the Council fully set forth the nature of Christ, countering the conceptions of Gregory, a Syrian representing the heretical Acephali.

===Third Synod of Seville (624)===
Based on a few surviving canons found in the [[Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals]], Isidore is known to have presided over an additional provincial council around 624.

The council dealt with a conflict over the [[Episcopal see|See]] of Écija and wrongfully stripped bishop Martianus of his see, a situation that was rectified by the Fourth Council of Toledo. It also addressed a concern over Jews who had been forced to convert to Christianity<!-- by Sisebut failing to present their children for baptism -->.

The records of the council, unlike the First and Second Councils of Seville, were not preserved in the [[Collections of ancient canons|Hispana]], a collection of canons and decretals likely edited by Isidore himself.<ref>Rachel Stocking, "Martianus, Aventius and Isidore: provincial councils in seventh-century Spain" ''Early Medieval Europe'' 6 (1997) 169–188.</ref>

===Fourth National Council of Toledo===
{{Main|Fourth Council of Toledo}}

All bishops of Hispania attended the Fourth National Council of Toledo, begun on 5 December 633. The aged Archbishop Isidore presided over its deliberations and originated most enactments of the council.

Through Isidore's influence, this Council of Toledo promulgated a decree commanding all bishops to establish seminaries in their cathedral cities along the lines of the cathedral school at Seville, which had educated Isidore decades earlier. The decree prescribed the study of Greek, Hebrew, and the liberal arts and encouraged interest in law and medicine.<ref name="ReferenceA">Isidore's own work regarding medicine is examined by {{cite journal |last1=Sharpe |first1=William D. |year=1964 |title=Isidore of Seville: The Medical Writings |journal=Transactions of the American Philosophical Society |volume=54 |issue=2}}</ref> The authority of the council made this education policy obligatory upon all bishops of the Kingdom of the Visigoths. The council granted remarkable position and deference to the king of the Visigoths. The independent Church bound itself in allegiance to the acknowledged king; it said nothing of allegiance to the [[Papacy|Bishop of Rome]].

===Death===
Isidore of Seville died on 4 April 636 after serving more than 32 years as archbishop of Seville.