Jerome was a Christian priest, theologian, confessor and historian who is best known for translating most of the Bible into Latin from original Hebrew sources. His version later became known as the Latin Vulgate Bible (derived from the Latin word for 'common'). He is the second most voluminous writer, after Augustine of Hippo, among ancient Latin Christian scholars. His extensive body of work includes commentaries on Scripture, Ecclesiastes, and prophets; biographical and historical writings; letters; and other theological writings that are predominantly polemical in nature. He is recognized as the Doctor of the Church by the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Lutheran Church and the Anglican Communion. He is also considered the patron saint of translators, librarians and encyclopedists. After learning Hebrew from a Jew who had converted to Christianity, Jerome deviated from other Christian scholars of the time in considering the Hebrew version, and not the Septuagint, as the inspired text of the Old Testament. He is also known for his teachings on Christian moral life and was considered the spiritual leader for a group of wealthy Roman women of the time.
