Catholic Saints St. Paula the Elder
Jan 26, 2026
Dr. Elizabeth Klein, a professor and scripture scholar who studies the Church Fathers, explores St. Paula the Elder, a Roman aristocrat turned monastic leader. She discusses Paula’s support of Jerome’s Vulgate, her founding of women’s monasteries in Bethlehem, her heroic renunciation of wealth, and her model of changing vocations and female leadership in the early Church.
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From Roman Elite To First Western Nun
- St. Paula (347–404) was a wealthy Roman widow who founded one of the first Western convents in Bethlehem.
- Her move from elite Roman life to monasticism illustrates early Christian flexibility of vocation and radical detachment from wealth.
Jerome's Praise And Patronage
- Jerome praises Paula's lineage, learning, and generosity and wrote her vita after she died.
- He credits her with bankrolling his biblical projects and learning Hebrew to recite Psalms.
Hidden Patron Of The Vulgate
- Paula materially and intellectually supported Jerome's translation work, making her a hidden benefactor of the Vulgate.
- Her sponsorship shows scholarship and textual production often depend on networks and patrons, not lone geniuses.
