The Diocese of Grand Rapids on Monday celebrated the feast day of St. Isidore the Farmer, a man so esteemed in the area that a parish in the diocese is named after him.

“Join us today to wish a happy feast day to the parish community of St. Isidore the Laborer Church Grand Rapids,” the diocese posted on social media this week. “St. Isidore, pray for us.” 

St. Isidore was born sometime around the year 1070 in Madrid, Spain. 

Catholic.org reported that Isidore was said to have experienced celestial visions and was often visited by angels.  

St. Isidore's family was very poor, but that didn’t dampen their devotion to God, a report from Saints Resource said. To help the family, St. Isidore was hired on at a wealthy estate in Madrid. He carved out time to go to Mass before beginning work, prompting his fellow farmhands to think he was lazy because he started late. They complained about him, so one day the estate owner, Juan de Vargas, went to check on Isidore's work. When he arrived, he saw two angels guiding the plow.

Vargas also claimed that Isidore saved the lives of his daughter and one of his horses, the Saints Resource report said. 

St. Isidore had a deep caring for poor people and animals, a report from Franciscan Media said. Another of the miracles attributed to him involved him providing food for the poor. 

Isidore is the patron saint of farmers, day laborers and the United States' National Rural Life Conference. Pope Paul V beatified Isidore in 1619, and Pope Gregory XV canonized him in 1622. His feast day is celebrated on May 15.