Jerome

Saint Jerome

Also known as
· Eusebius Hieronymus Sophronius
· Girolamo
· Hieronymus
· Man of the Bible

Memorial
· 30 September

Profile
Jerome was born to a rich pagan family. He studied in Rome and became a Lawyer. He was baptized in 365, for show, it didn’t really “take” with him spiritually, it was a political expediency. Imagine that, a politically connected individual claiming to be Catholic, but not really….astonishing.

It was only after he began to read and study the faith that he had a true conversion. Before it was popular he became a hermit and a monk in the Syrian desert. There is a legendary story about Jerome early on, while in solitude; he came upon a lion in agony with a thorn in its paw. Jerome pulled out the thorn, and the ferocious lion became his lifelong friend. Sounds a heck of a lot like the Aesop Fable, Androcles and the Lion, but what do I know?

Jerome, later became secretary to Pope Damasus I who commissioned him to compile and translate the various scriptures into what would be the first Latin texts of the Bible. Latin being the common tongue of the Empire. Jerome worked on this for 30 years and produced what is called the Latin Vulgate Bible; this translation was the basis for many other translations of the Bible going forward.

American Catholics can find an English translation of Jerome’s document in the Douay-Rhemis Bible. This version of the Bible was the source document for biblical scholars for centuries. The “Bishop’s Version” used in England was lifted from Jerome. Later King James wanted an updated version of the Bible, translators used Jerome’s Latin Vulgate as a source again for what the Protestants call “The King James” Bible still in use today. The flatulent Martin Luther used the Vulgate to make his German translation; apparently it’s all Catholic even to the Sola Scriptura knuckleheads….

It was said that Jerome had a nasty temper and was generally unpleasant and impatient with morons, goofs, and dolts, add to this his renown and popularity in the church, Jerome decided it was better an empty apartment than a bad tenant so he moved back to his desert and his Lion and lived his last 34 years in the Holy Land, near Bethlehem as a semi-recluse.

He wrote translations of histories, biographies, the works of Origen, and much more. He is also one of the original 4 Doctors of the Church; Jerome was, obviously, brilliant. This is testified to by no less than St. Augustine who himself is no slouch in the cerebral department; St. Augie says, “What Jerome is ignorant of, no man has ever known.”

In medieval art and statuary Saint Jerome is very often depicted in a cardinal’s dress and hat, although the office of “Cardinal” was not known until three centuries later, but as the other Fathers held exalted positions in the Church, and were represented in ecclesiastical costumes it seemed fitting to picture Our Saint as a cardinal. When Jerome is depicted as working, translating etc. he is a semi naked bald hermit.

Born
· 347 at Strido, Dalmatia

Died
· 419 of natural causes

Patronage
· archeologists
· archivists
· Bible scholars
· librarians
· libraries
· schoolchildren
· students
· translators