Isidore for Internet?

March 12, 2008 6:28 AM

Has St. Isidore of Seville been formally named patron saint of the internet?

A few years ago, there was a lot of talk about the Vatican considering a patron saint for the internet, with St. Isidore of Seville as the leading candidate. I can't find anything definitive that indicates that this was ever finally decided. Was there some sort of formal statement from the Vatican?

posted by Chrysostom to religion & philosophy (8 comments total)

I think this was done in 1998/1999. See the last paragraph here.
posted by parmanparman at 6:31 AM on March 12

I saw that, but there was still a lot of discussion in 2002-3. See this CNN article, for example.

The link you gave is from a Catholic church in Picayune, MS. I'm looking for a formal notice from the Vatican itself.
posted by Chrysostom at 6:41 AM on March 12

However! Since then, in 2003, an online poll went out among believers who said they preferred, in order:

St. Gabriel
St. Tecla
Saint Isidore of Seville
St. Rita
St. Andrew
St.Peter Regalado.

Then, in 2006, the church finally declared Isidore the patron with a dedication of a new computer center/shrine at Boston College.
posted by parmanparman at 6:41 AM on March 12

Saw that as well, but that's an article from the Chronicle of Higher Education, basically just rehashing a Boston Globe article. If you read the Globe article, you'll see that it's just about the BC data center being relocated into St. Clement's, which happens to have a stained glass window of St. Isidore.

The Globe piece also says that "an advisory group to the Vatican concluded that the learned bishop was the ideal choice to be the patron saint of the Internet, [Boston College] said." I believe that current Vatican practice is for areas of saint patronage to be handled directly by the pope. That's why I think that if Isidore was truly selected, there would be some sort of official communication from the Vatican itself. I'm still not seeing that anywhere.
posted by Chrysostom at 6:54 AM on March 12

Catholic Online, for example, shows Isidore as 'proposed patron saint of Internet users.'
posted by Chrysostom at 6:58 AM on March 12

There has not been as far as I know a decleration of this sort for St. Isidore. St. Claire was named Patron of television in an apostolic letter.

Issues related to the internet have generally been addressed on World Communications Day, the feast of St. Francis De Sales, patron of journalists and writers (among others) see here for instance.
posted by Jahaza at 7:36 AM on March 12

I don't think it's by any means official, but my understanding is that St. Isidore of Seville is the unofficial Patron Saint of the internet, and I have a magnet here at work which claims he already is the patron saint of computers/computer users.
posted by indiebass at 9:43 AM on March 12

he's also the first person (I think?) to use the word "European" when describing those who won the battle of Poitiers (8?? CE) against the Moors.

Had no idea about the internet part though. Will look him up when I get home from this party (if I'm sober) Huge amount on him in Spanish, natch.
posted by Wilder at 11:46 AM on March 12