Church History
|
![]() |
Also Known As: Eusebius Hieronymus Sophronius; Girolamo; Hieronymus; Man of the Bible Memorial Day: September 30 Born: 340 in Strido, Dalmatia Died: 420 in Bethlehem Patronage: archeologists, archivists, Bible scholars, librarians, libraries, people named Jerome, schoolchildren, students, translators St. Jerome, who is called in Latin "Hieronymus", which means "holy name", was born in Dalmatia in 340 A.D. He was baptized a Catholic when he was eighteen years old. After living as a hermit in Palestine, St. Jerome went to Rome. Much against his will, because of his great humility, he was ordained a priest. St. Damasus, the thirty-ninth Pope, commissioned him to translate the whole Bible into Latin. It took St. Jerome fourteen years to make his first version of the Holy Scripture in Latin, in what is known as the Vulgate. A few more years were required to make emendations, and then, in the beginning of the fifth century, the work was completed. St. Jerome had a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He went to Bethlehem, and lived near the crib where Our Lord was born. Two disciples there, St. Paula, and her daughter, St. Eustochium, set up three convents for nuns under St. Jerome's direction. St. Jerome also had a great devotion to the Guardian Angels. He is a doctor of the Church, who assures us that each one of us has a Guardian Angel for him or her self. St. Jerome died in Bethlehem in 420 A. D., with his head in the manger where Our Lord was born. His body is kept at the Church of St. Mary Major in Rome, where Our Lord's crib is also kept. ![]() |
|