St. Jerome (c. 347 – September 30, 420) was an early Christian Latin Church Father, biblical scholar, and translator. He is best known for his translation of the Bible from Greek and Hebrew into Latin, known as the Vulgate, which became the standard Bible for the Latin Church in the Middle Ages. Born in Stridon (modern-day Croatia or Slovenia), Jerome studied rhetoric and philosophy in Rome. He lived an ascetic life and established a monastery near Bethlehem, dedicating himself to scholarship and biblical commentary. His works include numerous letters, commentaries, and theological treatises, deeply influencing Western Christian thought. Jerome is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism, with his feast day on September 30. He is often depicted as a hermit with a lion, symbolizing his connection with nature and the divine.
