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Oil Dedicated to St Jerome 4 (Patron for Bible Scholars)

St Jerome 4 (Patron for Bible Scholars) from A Blessed Call To Love, Ireland.

Saint Jerome, whose Latin name is Eusebius Hieronymus, is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion. He best known for his translation of the Bible into Latin (the Vulgate), and his commentaries on the Gospels. His list of writings is extensive and his influence on Christian thought, particularly in the understanding and interpretation of the Bible, has been profound.

He was born in 347 AD, in Stridon, a small town on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, which corresponds to modern-day Croatia or Slovenia. Jerome studied extensively, learning Latin and Greek, before traveling to Rome to further his education.

He baptized in Rome and began to pursue religious life, but also drawn to the hedonistic lifestyle of the city. After falling ill, he had a dream that chastised him for being more Ciceronian than Christian, referring to his love of pagan literature. After his recovery, he journeyed through the Holy Land, spending time as a hermit in the desert of Chalcis to focus on the Bible and its teachings.

Jerome eventually settled in Bethlehem, where he lived in the stable believed to be Christ’s birthplace. He spent the remaining 34 years of his life there, producing the majority of his works. He died on September 30, 420 AD, and his feast day celebrated on the same date.

For his invaluable contribution to the understanding of the Bible, he recognized as the patron saint of translators, librarians and encyclopedists, and, as you mentioned, Bible scholars. His contributions to theology and biblical understanding have had a lasting impact on the Church and continue to be influential in biblical studies.