Computers and the Internet have a Patron Saint

Yes, that is so true! As a matter of fact, this saint is not only the patron saint of computers and of the Internet but also of computer users and of IT professionals (hackers not included - for hackers, check out St. Expedite, although that's unofficial).

He is none other than St. Isidore of Seville.

He was born about 560 AD in Cartagena Spain and died on April 4, 636. During his lifetime, he became the Bishop of Sevilla and.. wait, wait! If you are interested in finding out more about his life, just click here for the Wikipedia article.

Let us jump right to the reason why he is considered as the patron saint of computers, computer users, IT professionals, and of the Internet. Here it is:

In the 7th century, he created the Etymologiae, which is an encyclopedia in itself comprising of 20 volumes. He intended the Etymologiae to be a compilation of universal knowledge in much the same way that our present-day encyclopedias deal with multifarious subjects - from mundane to unusual. You name it!

In essence, he created the very first database of everything known in the world he lived in. This is basically the reason for his selection.