Adjoining one of my favourite places on earth, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, is another stunning church, the Church of St Catherine of Alexandria. The latter, because it’s easier to do so, is one where I’ve spent much time in silent prayer and contemplation when I have visited the holy land. Once, when I was trying to pray but kept getting interrupted by the sound of tourists, someone looking after the church kindly ushered me into a quiet little side chapel where I could spend time in silence and peace… I think wearing the clerical collar helped that happen.

Under the Church of St Catherine is a cave/grotto that is also a good spot to steal some time in silence and contemplation if you can get a moment there between groups. Two of the rooms in the cave are where Saint Jerome worked and lived. Other chambers have been identified as his burial place (his remains are now in Rome), along with St Eusebius, and Sts Paula and Eustochium.

Descending into that cave comes with the weight of Christian history. In those caves, Saint Jerome spent 30 years translating the scriptures that make up the Bible from Hebrew and Greek to Latin. He began the work somewhere around AD 386. His translation of the scriptures was known as the Vulgate. It would not be an understatement to say that it has been the longest serving and most widely used translation of scripture throughout Christian history. Among all Christians throughout history it has been the most known and most used/heard translation. Therefore Saint Jerome’s impact on history, and therefore modern times, cannot be understated.

Saint Jerome lived an ascetic life – as can be felt in his cave and his life was devoted to scholarly pursuits. Those of us who consider ourselves to be followers of Jesus owe much to him, who he was, and the work he dedicated his life to. If you ever get to visit Bethlehem, spending some time in that cave our of simple respect should be a must. I’d also encourage you not to bus in and out of Bethlehem on an Israeli guided tour that will only give you a fleeting visit. Spend some time in the town. Talk to the locals. Spend some of your tourist dollars there. Pause and take your time. It’s the town Jesus was born in and the locals are great.

Today we say thank you to Saint Jerome.

Here’s a video from the Franciscan Media Center about Jerome and the cave.