Paula of Rome was a 4th-century Roman noblewoman who transitioned from a life of luxury to one of intense religious devotion. Born into a wealthy senatorial family, she became a dedicated disciple of the scholar Jerome. Following the death of her husband, she utilized her significant inheritance to travel to the Holy Land. There, she established a monastic community in Bethlehem, serving as an abbess for a convent of nuns. She is remembered as an early Desert Mother and a significant figure in the development of early Christian asceticism.
Religious life
After being widowed at age 32, Paula embraced a semi-monastic lifestyle influenced by Saint Marcella. She eventually moved to Bethlehem, where she and Jerome founded a double monastery. While Jerome lived among the monks, Paula led the nuns. To support their mission and provide hospitality for pilgrims, she exhausted her entire fortune, demonstrating a profound commitment to her ascetic calling and the service of others.
Veneration
Paula is recognized as a saint in the Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox traditions. She is honored as a co-patron of the Hieronymite monks and nuns. Her feast day is observed on January 26, though the Anglican Church commemorates her on September 28. Her life and spiritual devotion are extensively documented through the letters written by Jerome to her daughter, Eustochium.