A renowned Church father and theologian from the 4th century, he is known as St: Jerome of Stridonium for the Eastern Orthodox Church, St: Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus for Roman Catholics and simply St: Jerome for the layman. He is more popular in the Catholic Church as he was the first to translate the entire Bible (Old and New Testament) from Hebrew and Greek to Latin, the official language of Rome. The Latin translation of Jerome's Bible is known as Vulgate.
The Vulgate remained the definitive and officially promulgated Latin version of the Bible of the Catholic Church for almost 1500 years. It would be worth to note that, as of 2009, the Catholic Church with its rich 2000 years of history, has named only 33 'Doctors of the Church'; and St: Jerome is one among them. He lived in Bethlehem and did most of the translation from about 384 A.D. to 420 A.D. Gradually, a monastery was established in the site. St: Jerome died in Bethlehem in September 30, 420 AD and was originally buried at Bethlehem. Later his relics were transferred to the basilica of Santa Maria Magiorre in Rome.
Today, the Church of St. Catherine in Bethlehem has a modern statue of Jerome infront of the Church, with a skull at his foot. No one really knows what this skull signifies. Beneath the Church of the Nativity, there are a series of grottoes or caves. One among them is a chapel now and believed to be his study room, where he translated Bible to Latin. Adjacent to the study, is 'St: Jerome's Tomb' with his name "Hieronymus" inscribed clearly.
The Vulgate remained the definitive and officially promulgated Latin version of the Bible of the Catholic Church for almost 1500 years. It would be worth to note that, as of 2009, the Catholic Church with its rich 2000 years of history, has named only 33 'Doctors of the Church'; and St: Jerome is one among them. He lived in Bethlehem and did most of the translation from about 384 A.D. to 420 A.D. Gradually, a monastery was established in the site. St: Jerome died in Bethlehem in September 30, 420 AD and was originally buried at Bethlehem. Later his relics were transferred to the basilica of Santa Maria Magiorre in Rome.
Today, the Church of St. Catherine in Bethlehem has a modern statue of Jerome infront of the Church, with a skull at his foot. No one really knows what this skull signifies. Beneath the Church of the Nativity, there are a series of grottoes or caves. One among them is a chapel now and believed to be his study room, where he translated Bible to Latin. Adjacent to the study, is 'St: Jerome's Tomb' with his name "Hieronymus" inscribed clearly.
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