Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Readings of the Day

St.Jerome c.1605

 Michelangelo Merisi da Carvaggio,1571 - 1610

“I interpret as I should, following the command of Christ: Search the Scriptures, and Seek and you shall find. Christ will not say to me what he said to the Jews: You erred, not knowing the Scriptures and not knowing the power of God. For if, as Paul says, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, and if the man who does not know Scripture does not know the power and wisdom of God, then ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ."

Jerome: Introduction to the Book of Isaiah

Father,

you gave Saint Jerome delight in his study of holy scripture.

May your people find in your word

the food of salvation and the fountain of life.

from Christian Prayer

     Saint Jerome was born at Stridon in Dalmatia around the year 340. He studied the classical authors at Rome, and was baptized there. He embraced a life of asceticism and went to the East where he was ordained a priest. Returning to Rome, he became a secretary to Pope Damasus. At Rome he began to translate the Holy Scriptures into Latin and to promote the monastic life. Eventually he settled in Bethlehem where he served the needs of the Church. He wrote many works, especially the commentaries on Holy Scripture. He died at Bethlehem in 420.



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