This Madrid native and patron saint of WYD lived a life of piety in the Eucharist and prayer

St. Mary of hte Head, patron of WYD

Maria Torribia was a Spanish peasant woman believed to have married Saint Isidore, and is known in Spain as Santa María de la Cabeza. Nine hundred years ago, during the Middle Age, the city of Madrid was going through some turbulent times.

Although the city was reconquered by Christians in 1085, it suffered two major invasions by Muslim kingdoms located south of the Iberian Peninsula during the 12th century.

Both Saint Mary of the Head — whose feast day we celebrate on September 9th— and Saint Isidro lived during this time.

Despite the centuries that have passed since she lived, Isidore and María continue to be strong examples of the vocational meaning of marriage, not only as an institution that addresses a need for affection or continue a family bloodline, but also as a vocation through which people can achieve holiness.

Saint Mary of the Head’s date of birth is unknown, but it was sometime near the end of the 11th century or at the beginning of the 12th century. She life was that of a simple Madrid maiden, recently annexed to the Kingdom of Castilla.

However, the borders of Spain were in poor condition because the surrounding territories were suffering military invasions led by the Muslim kingdoms south of the peninsula.

During one of the invasions led by the Almoravid Dynasty, Isidore fled to Torrelaguna, where he met Mary, his future wife. They had a son named Illan, the fruit of their marriage. At a young age, Illan fell into a well. The prayers of Mary and Isidore miraculously caused the water to rise until the child reached the arms of his parents. This miracle has been represented on numerous occasions and was
most famously immortalized by Alonso Cano in 1648, in a painting that can be found at the Prado Museum in Madrid.

Life during the middle Ages was not easy for women. Saint Mary of the Head was responsible for household chores and rigorous farming activities. She heavily relied on the support of her husband.

Saint Mary of the Head was a holy woman. She was humble, hardworking, a good wife and mother, but she also was a virtuous and devout Catholic. After the death of her husband in 1172, she returned to Torrelaguna and died with a saintly reputation in 1175 or 1180.

After being moved several times, the relics of her head were eventually gathered in 1769 at the Real Colegiata de San Isidro in Madrid where they are remain on display for veneration to this day. Her relics are placed with the uncorrupted body of her husband and patron of Madrid, Saint Isidore.

Miracle at the Well, 1648, Alonso Cano

Holiness in Marriage
Isidore and Mary shared a holy marriage. They were Christian parents guided by their love for Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. They blessed their union through continuous expression of their great love and virtues, leaving us their lives as their testimony. This example of holiness in marriage is shared in the hopes of inspiring the young people around the world who will participate in the preparations for the World Youth Day and in the WYD event itself that will take place in August 2011 in Madrid.

- Love of Lord, through prayer and the Eucharist.
- Love of figure of the Blessed Virgin Mary (most of all in her invocations of Madrid’s Almudena and Atocha).
- Love of family (husband and child)
- Love of neighbor, through her continuous acts of love and miracles in caring for her neighbors.
- Love of work, understanding it and living it as a means to holiness and praise to God.
- Since the thirteenth century, la Real Congregación de San Isidro has promoted and spread this concept and example of holy matrimony set by St. Mary of the Head and St. Isidore.