He was born in the Balkans, and educated in Rome. In 375 he began a two-year search for peace as a hermit in the desert in Syria. Back in Rome he became a secretary to the pope. Jerome was forced to leave the city because of his harsh critcism of the clergy.

He settled in a monastery near Bethlehem as a recluse and biblical translator. His Latin version of the Old Testament from Hebrew is the Vulgate version which is in use among Roman Catholics today.