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In the News - 2001
Biography of St. Jerome
September
30 , 2001
Born at Stridon, a town on the confines of Dalmatia and Pannonia,
about the year 340-2; died at Bethlehem, 30 September, 420.
He went to Rome, probably about 360, where he was baptized,
and became interested in ecclesiastical matters. From Rome
he went to Trier, famous for its schools, and there began
his theological studies. Later he went to Aquileia, and towards
373 he set out on a journey to the East. He settled first
in Antioch, where he heard Apollinaris of Laodicea, one of
the first exegetes of that time and not yet separated from
the Church. From 374-9 Jerome led an ascetical life in the
desert of Chalcis, south-west of Antioch. Ordained priest
at Antioch, he went to Constantinople (380-81), where a friendship
sprang up between him and St. Gregory Nazianzus. From 382
to August 385 he made another sojourn in Rome, not far from
Pope Damasus. When the latter died (11 December, 384) his
position became a very difficult one. His harsh criticisms
had made him bitter enemies, who tried to ruin him. After
a few months he was compelled to leave Rome. By way of Antioch
and Alexandria he reached Bethlehem, in 386. He settled there
in a monastery near a convent founded by two Roman ladies,
Paula and Eustochium, who followed him to Palestine. Henceforth
he led a life of asceticism and study; but even then he was
troubled by controversies which will be mentionedlater, one
with Rufinus and the other with the Pelagians.
Chronology
The literary activity of St. Jerome, although very prolific,
may be summed up under a few principal heads: works on the
Bible; theological controversies; historical works; various
letters; translations. But perhaps the chronology of his more
important writings will enable us to follow more easily the
development of his studies.
A first period extends to his sojourn in Rome (382), a period
of preparation. From this period we have the translation of
the homilies of Origen on Jeremias, Ezechiel, and Isaias (379-81),
and about the same time the translation of the Chronicle of
Eusebius; then the "Vita S. Pauli, prima eremitae"
(374-379).
A second period extends from his sojourn in Rome to the beginning
of the translation of the Old Testament from the Hebrew (382-390).
During this period the exegetical vocation of St. Jerome asserted
itself under the influence of Pope Damasus, and took definite
shape when the opposition of the ecclesiastics of Rome compelled
the caustic Dalmatian to renounce ecclesiastical advancement
and retire to Bethlehem.
In 384 we have the correction of the Latin version of the
Four Gospels; in 385, the Epistles of St. Paul; in 384, a
first revision of the Latin Psalms according to the accepted
text of the Septuagint (Roman Psalter); in 384, the revision
of the Latin version of the Book of Job, after the accepted
version of theSeptuagint; between 386 and 391 a second revision
of the Latin Psalter, this time according to the text of the
"Hexapla" of Origen (Gallican Psalter, embodied
in the Vulgate). It is doubtful whether he revised the entire
version of the Old Testament according to the Greek of the
Septuagint. In 382-383 "Altercatio Luciferiani et Orthodoxi"
and "De perpetua Virginitate B. Mariae; adversus Helvidium".
In 387-388, commentaries on the Epistles to Philemon, to the
Galatians, to the Ephesians, to Titus; and in 389-390, on
Ecclesiastes.
Between 390 and 405, St. Jerome gave all his attention to
the translation of the Old Testament according to the Hebrew,
but this work alternated with many others. Between 390-394
he translated the Books of Samuel and of Kings, Job, Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, the Canticle of Canticles, Esdras, and Paralipomena.
In 390 he translated the treatise "De Spiritu Sancto"
of Didymus of Alexandria; in 389-90, he drew up his "Quaestiones
hebraicae in Genesim" and "De interpretatione nominum
hebraicorum."
In 391-92 he wrote the "Vita S. Hilarionis", the
"Vita Malchi, monachi captivi", and commentaries
on Nahum, Micheas, Sophonias, Aggeus, Habacuc. In 392-93,
"De viris illustribus", and "Adversus Jovinianum";
in 395, commentaries on Jonas and Abdias; in 398, revision
of the remainder of the Latin version of the New Testament,
and about that time commentaries on chapters xiii-xxiii of
Isaias; in 398, an unfinished work "Contra Joannem Hierosolymitanum";
in 401, "Apologeticum adversus Rufinum"; between
403-406, "Contra Vigilantium"; finally from 398
to 405, completion of the version of the Old Testament according
to the Hebrew.
In the last period of his life, from 405 to 420, St. Jerome
took up the series of his commentaries interrupted for seven
years. In 406, he commented on Osee, Joel, Amos, Zacharias,
Malachias; in 408, on Daniel; from 408 to 410, on the remainder
of Isaias; from 410 to 415, on Ezechiel; from 415-420, on
Jeremias. From 401 to 410 date what is left of his sermons;
treatises on St. Mark, homilies on the Psalms, on various
subjects, and on the Gospels; in 415, "Dialogi contra
Pelagianos".
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII
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