Saint Paula of Rome
Widow
(347 – 404)

Saint’s Life Story

Her Early Life

Paula was born on May 5, 347 in Rome, Italy. She was the daughter of Blesilla and Rogatus, born into a patrician, Christian family. Her father was a Greek and her mother was descended from two of the most illustrious families of Rome – the Gracchi and the Scipios.

Married Mother of Five

When she was 15, Paula married the Roman Senator Toxotius with whom she had a son, also called Toxotius, and four daughters, Saint Blesilla, Paulina, Saint Eustochium and Rufin. Although it was an arranged marriage, it was a happy one. Paula and Toxotius thoroughly enjoyed their wealth and position. The happiness this world offers, however, is ephemeral.

Widow

At the age of 32 in 379, Paula learned this lesson the hard way, she was widowed. She loved her husband and was inconsolable at his loss. She comforted herself with her children. Even that was not enough; she grieved terribly until her friend, Saint Marcella, suggested that she devote herself to God. Finally, Paula took her friend’s advice, converted her heart, and dedicated her life to God.

Paula gave up earthly treasures and social activities, slept on sackcloth, ate little, and indulged in nothing immoderately. Then she proceeded to consecrate her household to an ascetic way of life together with similar groups of Roman noblewomen, who resided on the Aventine and Coelian Hills of Rome. These ladies encouraged one another to live according to the Gospel, studied the Scriptures together intensely and scientifically to learn the ways of God, and did not wait until disaster forced the ascetic life upon them; they saw that luxury is out of place in a Christian.

Paula’s life was such a powerful witness that she inspired her own daughters, Saints Blaesilla and Eustochium to sainthood. Saint Eustochium was single-hearted for the Lord; she consecrated herself to a life of virginity, having learned austerity from her mother and Saint Marcella.

Paula provided hospitality to Saint Epiphanius of Salamis and Saint Paulinus of Antioch, when they visited Rome. Some say that it was through these saints that Paula met Saint Jerome. In 382, Bishop Saint Jerome arrived in Rome to act as secretary for Pope St. Damasus and to serve as an important biblical adviser. So, Saint Marcella insisted he should teach their group Hebrew and exegesis. Saint Jerome became the spiritual director of this evolving Christian community and provided them with instruction in the Scriptures.

Death of Saint Blaesilla

At first, her daughter, Saint Blaesilla, followed in Paula’s early elegant footsteps. However, Saint Blaesilla threw herself so vehemently into the ascetic life that in 384 she died.

Paula was almost crazy with grief, but Saint Jerome, who received the news in Jerusalem, rebuked her. He wrote that she had the right to mourn the loss of her husband and daughter. Nevertheless, she ought to realize that they had entered a realm of greater happiness than this world can offer. To assuage her sorrow, Saint Jerome promised to glorify Saint Blaesilla by writing about her in his letters.

Pilgrimage with Saint Eustochium

In 385, Paula and her third daughter, Saint Eustochium, abandoned her palace in Rome. They intended on becoming hermits and devote themselves entirely to God. They visited Saint Epiphanius in Cyprus and met Saint Jerome in Antioch, ancient Syria (now Antakya, Turkey). They made a pilgrimage through Palestine, seeking a deeper connection to her faith. This trip continued into Egypt to visit the monks and hermits there.

Settling in Bethlehem

In 396, Paula and her daughter settled in a small house in Bethlehem, a city in the West Bank of Palestine. When Paula first arrived in Bethlehem, she cried, “I greet you, Bethlehem, the ‘house of Bread,’ for here was born that living Bread who came down from heaven.” The Bread of heaven satisfied all her needs.

Abbess

For years, Paula presided as abbess over the sisterhood she founded near Saint Jerome’s monastery. Everyone dressed in exactly the same fashion, quite simply, showing that they were all equal in God’s sight. Austerity and prayer marked the passing of the years in this convent where every attention was given the poor and the study of the Scriptures. Paula learned enough Hebrew to daily recite the Psalms in the original tongue. With her knowledge of Greek, which she had learned from her father, and Hebrew, Paula helped Jerome in his work of translating the Scriptures into Latin.

Paula governed the affairs of her monastery in an efficient and loving manner. Despite her wealth and noble birth, she never refused to perform the most menial tasks. Thus, Paula led others by her own example, indicating to them the path of humility which they should follow.

In the city of our Lord’s birth, Paula used her wealth to establish and build a hospital for pilgrims, a monastery for Saint Jerome and his monks, three women’s monasteries, and a church large enough to accommodate the nuns from all three convents.

Her Death

Penniless, but serene, Paula died at age 56 on January 26, 404 in Bethlehem, Palestine, her home for 20 years. Her grand-daughter Paula, who had been placed in her care, succeeded her as abbess of the convent. Saint Paula was buried near the birthplace of her Lord and Savior, under the Church of the Nativity. Her biographer was none other than Saint Jerome in his letter that he wrote about her.

After Paula’s death, Jerome wrote to Eustochium about her, in a long (thirty-four chapter) letter, a “little book” (“libellum”) which is virtually a Saint’s life. It begins with the rhetorical flourish, “If all the members of my body were turned into tongues and all my joints sounded with human voice, I could say nothing worthy of the virtues of holy and venerable Paula,” and ends with the poems on her tomb and the cave outside.

“Do you see this tomb, hollowed from the rock?
It is Paula’s resting place as she takes up her celestial kingdom.
She left brother, family, her home in Rome, wealth and progeny for a cave in Bethlehem.
Here was the manger and here the magi bore mystical gifts to Christ, both man and God.”

Born:                  May 5, 347 in Rome, Italy

Died:                  January 26, 404 in Bethlehem, Palestine

Beatified:          Pre-Congregation

Canonized:       Pre-Congregation

Feast Day:        January 26

Patron Saint:    Order of Saint Jerome; Widows

Source:

• • CatholicSaints.Info » Saints of the Day – Paula of Rome, Widow by Katherine I Rabenstein
  • Epistolae: Paula, the elder – Columbia University
  • Saint Paula of Rome – Saint for a Minute: Saints & Blesseds
  • Paula of Rome – Wikipedia

Prayers

Video Link

Saint Paula – YouTube (nina51236)