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On the day of San Isidro Labrador the spring fields shine, like this poppy red meadow in the surroundings of Manlleu, where you can also see how the red umbrella and raincoat amplify the effect of this color in the landscape, as seen in these photographs in La Vanguardia Readers’ Photos.
Traditionally, the poppy has been associated with agriculture since ancient times. And its life cycle adapts to most cereal crops. So much so that they flower and fruit before harvesting the crops.
Saint Isidro Labrador (Madrid, c. 1082-ibid., November 30, 1172), born in Muslim Mayrit, was a Mozarabic farmer who was possibly in the service of the Vargas family and many other landowners such as Francisco Vera.
Saint Isidro is the first married layman brought to the altars after a canonization process instructed by the Congregation of Rites. The promoters of this canonization were several members of the Lujanes family, the Vargas family and the royal house of the Austrias.
In 1213, King Alfonso VIII, in gratitude to the Saint for his intervention in the victory of Las Navas de Tolosa. He built a chapel in his honor. Although he had not yet been sanctified in the 13th century, the popular religious fervor of the people of Madrid for the figure of Isidro Labrador was already very high at that time.