Jerome, Hieronymus, Geronimo

I've been wanting to start a blog for sometime now and this seemed like a good place. I'm hoping to use this page to publish some of my personal and creative writing while at the same time practicing and exhibiting my work as a translator. I would also love to build more community with other artists, writers, linguists and activists, so feel free to reach out or leave a comment if you see something that interests you.

For my first post, I wanted to write a little bit about the name San Gerónimo (Saint Jerome, in English) and why I chose it.

Saint Jerome was born in the fourth century CE, in a small village, most likely in present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina. He later went to Rome to study philosophy and Latin. This is also where he would be baptized. Life in Rome both intrigued and horrified Jerome. Drinking and sex were more common in the city than in his village, and Jerome participated in these activities regularly, but would subsequently be afflicted by extreme guilt. To appease his conscience, Jerome would visit the Roman catacombs, to remind himself of the terror of Hell.

Eventually, his desire for a life of ascetic penance led him to the Syrian desert, where he lived for some time as a hermit. During this time, he studied Hebrew and translated part of the Gospel of the Hebrews into Greek. When he returned to Rome, Jerome began what would later be known as the Biblia Vulgata, or the Vulgate, a Latin translation of the Bible that remains in use to this day.

Because of his work, Saint Jerome is today recognized as the patron saint of translators, librarians and archaeologists. In paintings, he is often depicted either in a room surrounded by books, or in a rocky desert. He is sometimes shown with an owl, representing wisdom, or a human skull, representing the fleeting nature of the material world.

Saint Jerome, The Le Nain Brothers, 1642-43

Across the Christian world, parents name their children after this important saint in many different languages. In French, Jérôme. In Irish, Iaróm. In Polish, Hieronim. The Latin version, Hieronymus, is perhaps most recognized as the name of the 15th century Dutch painter, Hieronymus Bosch (also known as Jheronimus van Aken). Bosch is famous for his incredibly detailed and intricate works depicting religious themes, specifically hell and damnation.

Bosch's most famous painting, The Garden of Earthly Delights, is divided into three sections. The first section on the left depicts the Garden of Eden, featuring Adam, Eve, God and a variety of animals. The central panel, which is also the largest, is full of naked figures engaging in various sexual acts and fantastical animals. The third panel on the right, is the darkest in both color and subject matter. It shows a dystopian hellscape in which humanity is paying the price for having succumbed to temptation.

Art historians have debated how to interpret Bosch's religious themes. Some have argued that his work was meant to be a vindication of Christian sects that were at the time considered heretical, while others suggest that his depictions of monsters and magical landscapes were simply meant to amuse the viewer. Currently, however, the general consensus among scholars is that Bosch's paintings reflect the prevailing religious sentiments of his time; that is, an intense devotion to biblical teachings and a sincere fear of hell.

The Garden of Earthly Delights, Hieronymus Bosch, 1490-1500

In Spanish, Saint Jerome is mostly commonly known as San Jerónimo and the name has been given to mountains, rivers and towns throughout Spain and Latin America. The spelling San Gerónimo is less common but pronounced the same (with both the J and the G in Spanish making a voiceless uvular fricative; the sound doesn't exist in most dialects of English, but imagine a harsh h sound). Both Jerónimo and Gerónimo are fairly common first names in the Spanish-speaking world. However, English speakers will tend to recognize the second spelling as the name of the famous Apache spiritual leader and freedom fighter, Geronimo.

Geronimo's name was actually Goyaałé, which in the Mascalero-Chiricahua language, means “the one who yawns.” He was born in the area that is currently known as New Mexico, which at the time was claimed by Mexico, although the Apache disputed this claim. The Apache, a collective term for several culturally related groups whose ancestral homeland is currently divided between Northwestern Mexico and the Southwestern United States, were first driven from their territory by Spanish settlers in the 17th century. For the following two hundred years, the Apache developed a culture of resistance to Spanish, Mexican and US imperialism through the raiding of colonial settlements.

Following the massacre of his family by Mexican military forces, Goyaałé became a revered leader of raids against settlers. He was also believed by his community to possess the power to witness distant events, predict the future, and heal others. The origin of the name Geronimo is unclear, but one theory is that it came from Goyaałé's ability to move unharmed through a hail of bullets and attack Mexican soldiers with a knife. The soldiers prayed to Saint Jerome, or San Jerónimo, for help. Geronimo became famous for his bravery as well as his ability to evade capture by both the Mexican and US armies. His 30 year military career ended when he surrendered to the United States in 1886. Geronimo lived the rest of his life as a prisoner of war of the US Army, but his celebrity status remained, and he was invited to participate in numerous World's Fairs and Wild West shows, always under military guard.

Geronimo (Goyaałé), a Chiricahua Apache, kneeling with rifle, photo by Ben Wittick, 1887