From the desk of the Tar Heel disciple:
September 28, 2026 (#136)
Saint Jerome and (Finally?) Studying the Bible
The Catholic Church observes the feast of Saint Jerome, who was born around 342AD in Dalmatia (somewhere in today's Croatia or Slovenia), on September 30. As a youth, Jerome proved to be intellectually bright and badly behaved. At about the age of 12, he went to Rome to study grammar, philosophy, and rhetoric. Around the year 336, when he was in his mid-20s, Jerome finally abandoned his blatantly immoral lifestyle and was baptized by Pope Liberius. He then went to Trier (in modern Germany) to study theology. In 370 he returned to the Italian peninsula to enter a monastery at Aquileia. There, he developed his skills as a translator. Eventually, Jerome went east, to Syria, where he lived the ascetical life of a hermit in the desert for about four years. Under pressure from others, including from Pope Damasus, Jerome was ordained a priest. After a time in Constantinople where he studied under Saint Gregory of Nazianzus, Jerome returned to Rome, in 382AD.
In Rome, Pope Damasus made Jerome his personal secretary. The same pope also commissioned Jerome to write a new translation, from Hebrew and Greek into Latin, of the Bible. It came to be known as the Vulgate translation and was long held as the standard version of the Bible for Catholics. Though Jerome was known for his quick wit and frequent sarcasm, he also attracted a following of wealthy women of faith whom he served as spiritual director. He attracted various enemies both within and outside the church, some of whom spread false rumors that he behaved inappropriately with these women. Jerome decided to return to the Holy Land and arrived in Antioch and 386AD. Some of the “society women” from Rome followed him eastward, and eventually settled in Bethlehem, where Jerome established a monastery for them. The foundress of this community, St. Paula, was eventually recognized as a saint by the Church, as were other members.
Jerome's reputation for scholarship spread far and wide during his life. And Jerome sometimes displayed a very short temper and little patience with those who disagreed with his scholarly opinions. Though he had such disagreements with his contemporary, Saint Augustine, that famous Doctor of the Church said of him, “What Jerome is ignorant of, no mortal has ever known.” Jerome died on September 30, 420AD, and was buried under the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. His remains were later transferred to Rome and today are venerated at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (where Pope Francis was recently buried).
Jerome is counted as one of the greatest of the Doctors of the Church and is often portrayed in art in cardinal’s robes. This was because of his close collaboration with Pope Damasus. But in fact, the College of Cardinals, vested in elaborate red robes, did not exist in his day. He is also sometimes portrayed as a scholar surrounded by books while in other works, emaciated and nearly naked as an aesthetic might be. And sometimes, all of these aspects are attempted by artists to capture a more complete picture of the complex reality that was Jerome in his day.
Finally, Jerome is often quoted as claiming that “ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” May this annual commemoration of his feast day be an opportunity for Catholics to begin, or to re-engage, or to deepen their serious study of the sacred texts…so that we can come to truly know our savior, Jesus Christ!
