JULY 3

Day 3: Saint Ironimos (Jerome)

Saint Jerome was born in the year 340 in the city of Sirdo, in a devout rich family. After finishing his elementary studies, his parents sent him to Rome to pursue his higher education, and there he proved to be a brilliant student, especially in rhetoric, and argumentation, and showed a special interest in the Greek and Roman Scientists and mastered the Greek and Latin languages as he fall in love with the writings of Cicero and Virgil. He studied too the Holy Scriptures, and used to visit the martyrs tombs, whose faith and love to God always inspired him.

After that he left the world to the wilderness and remoteness of Travia, where he dedicated himself to prayer life and theological studies. Then he turned back to his hometown and lived in Akila for seven years, persisting in his prayers, reading and writing spiritual literature. And for some familial reasons, he left his country and traveled to the East, traversing Greek, and Asia (Minor/today’s Turkey) all the way to Antioch; where he found in the isolation of the wilderness of eastern Antioch, an optimal place to lead a life of prayer, meditation, and sacrifices. There he stayed for five years, then came back to Antioch City, where its patriarch Paulinos asked him to become a priest, which Jerome accepted after the patriarch’s insistence, under one condition, that he shall be free to do his theological studies and writings. Then he moved to Constantinople, where he deepened his theological studies under the supervision of the saint Gregory the Theologian of Nissa, there he attended the second Ecumenical Council and the First Council of Constantinople in the year 381, which condemned Makdonios, who had denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Jerome shined like a star in the council of Constantinople, where he worked as a secretary, especially because of his mastery of both Latin and Greek languages, and also of Aramaic and Hebrew, which he studied in order to better understand the Holy Scriptures.

After that, he was called by Pope Damian, who made him his secretary in Rome, and entrusted to him to unify the various Latin translations of the Bible into one that should replace all others. Jerome consecrated his life to this serious great task, which did not stop him from preaching, and giving spiritual directions. After Pope Damian died in the year 384, many people in Rome looked up to Jerome, wanting to elect him the new pope. But, he left to Palestine, carrying with his brother and some other monks his heavy library, and there he settled down in Bethlehem, in a monastery, spending his time in prayer, and austere sacrifices, focusing on writing and researching the Holy Land sites, and the Holy Scriptures. It was there where he finished translating the Holy Bible into Latin. His translation was later adopted as the official one by the Catholic Church in the West, and especially by the Council of Trent. It is known as the “Vulgate”, which means the “vernacular”.

Saint Jerome is also famous for defending the Catholic faith against the heresies of his time, by his inspired writings and sermons. He truly enriched the Church’s library by his excellent writings, and became one of her doctors. After a life filled with great accomplishments, he died in September 30^th in the year 420, an 80 years old man. His remains were later moved to the Church of Saint Mary Major in Rome, where they still are a source of grace and blessing. May his prayer be with us. Amen.