In September, you will find those of the Jewish faith spending time atoning for their transgressions. The month is also the feast day of a man responsible for translating the Old Testament. In this article, you will encounter some of the activities associated with the Jewish holiday called Rosh Hashanah, as well as an observance linked to a saint known for having a temper.
Rosh Hashanah
The translation of this holiday is ‘head of the year,’ which commemorates the Jewish New Year. Known as the first of the High Holidays, Rosh Hashanah is celebrated ten days before Yom Kippur, which is a day associated with atonement and repentance. The holiday takes place on the first two days of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. Some of the traditions of Rosh Hashanah include praying in a synagogue, listening to the shofar (blowing of the horn), meals with challah bread, eating apples dipped in honey, and taking time away from work.
St. Jerome’s Day
In September, St. Jerome’s Day is celebrated amongst Christians not because of their devotion or commendable merit, but because he had a poor temper. He was also described as being bitter, but he displayed a love for God and Jesus Christ that was quite intense. Those who were against God and truth, they were attacked by the saint. Jerome was a scholar of the Scripture and is responsible for translating a great deal of the Old Testament from the Hebrew. He also penned commentaries that have become a helpful resource for people studying today.
Jerome was an enthusiastic scholar and known for his ability to write letters. He served as a consultant to monks, bishop, and pope. One of his more important accomplishments was making the translation of the Bible, which was called the Vulgate. It was significant because the Church accepted this translation. He was praised for the work he did on the translation and was compared to others who have not done so well. His translation was declared the authentic text to be used in the Church.
The work that Jerome completed required a lot of preparation, which he did. He became a master of Latin, Greek, Hebrew and Chaldaic. He started his studies while at his birthplace of Stridon in Dalmatia , a region in what used to be known as Yugoslavia. Following his initial education, he traveled to Rome, which was the pulse of learning at the time.
Afterwards, he studied in Trier, Germany. Jerome spent several years in each location, making it a habit to seek out the best teachers. His next step was to travel throughout Palestine. He marked each place associated with Christ’s life. While in the desert of Chalcis, he spent five years so that he could surrender to prayer, atonement and study. Lastly, he settled in a cave in Bethlehem, which was thought to have been the birthplace of Christ. In 420, Jerome died in Bethlehem on September 30th. The remains of his body were transported for burial at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome.
