Eustochium Julia

Eustochium Julia, was born at Rome about A.D. 365. A daughter of Paula (q.v.), she imitated the ascetic piety of her mother. In 382 she took the vow of virginity, and put herself under the direction of Jerome, who gave her instructions relative to the life she had chosen. It was for her that he wrote (383) his treatise on Virginity. On his departure from Rome, Paula and Eustochium accompanied him, and settled near him in a monastery, near Bethlehem. After the death of Paula (404), Eustochium succeeded her as superior of the monastery. So greatly was she profited by Jerome's instructions that she gained a knowledge of the Greek and Hebrew languages. To her Jerome dedicated his Commentaries on Ezekiel and Isaiah. He translated also the rules of Pachomius into Latin for the use of the members of the monastery at Bethlehem. In 416 the Pelagians burned this monastery and outraged the inmates. She is celebrated as a saint in the Roman Church on the 28th of September. — Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Genirale, 16:792; Butler, Lives of the Saints, 9:775; Milman, Hist. of Christianity (N.Y. 1866), 3:234.