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Why did St. Jerome face criticism while living in Rome?
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St. Jerome
Saint Jerome, oil on canvas by José de Ribera (Jusepe de Ribera, Lo Spagnoletto), c. 1638–40; in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
During his time in Rome (382–385), St. Jerome faced significant criticism and calumny due to his outspoken advocacy for the ascetic life and his direct, often harsh, manner of engagement with the Roman community.1
His primary sources of friction included:
- Social and Clerical Conflict: Jerome actively castigated the Roman clergy, as well as monks he deemed lax and virgins he considered hypocritical.1
- Advocacy for Monasticism: He held classes for a circle of noble Roman widows and virgins, teaching them spirituality and promoting monastic ideals. This included defending the perpetual virginity of Mary and attacking those who viewed marriage as equal to virginity.1
- Biblical Revisions: His efforts to correct the Gospel text also contributed to the backlash against him.1
Following the death of his patron, Pope Damasus I, in December 384, the opposition intensified. This "storm of criticism" eventually led Jerome to leave Rome in August 385, famously referring to the city as "Babylon" in his bitter indignation.1