Saint Jerome was born in the village of Stridon in Dalmatia. His parents were Christians and raised him according to the values of the true faith. He spent his youth in Rome, where, despite many temptations, he remained close to the Church. He was baptized at about twenty years of age. After a journey, during which he began to long for solitude and monastic life, he returned to his homeland. Soon afterward, he set out for the East in order to visit Jerusalem and to meet the hermits of Syria and Egypt.
He spent nearly five years in the desert of Chalcis in Syria, devoting himself to strict ascetic struggles and to the study of Holy Scripture. He also learned the Hebrew language in order to gain a deeper understanding of the texts of the Old Testament.
After returning to Antioch, he was ordained a presbyter. He then went to Constantinople, where he studied under Saint Gregory the Theologian. In 381, he returned to Rome, became the pope’s secretary, and took an active part in ecclesiastical councils.
He died in Bethlehem, where he founded several monasteries. During his time there, he lived in a cave near the place of Christ’s Nativity.
His studies of the Holy Scripture, his translations, and his letters had a profound influence on the Christian tradition. He left behind a rich legacy of writings, including doctrinal, moral, ascetic, and ermeneutical works.
