This observance appears in the catholic calendar with liturgical color purple .
Saint Damasus I, Pope, is renowned for commissioning Saint Jerome to translate the Bible into Latin, known as the Vulgate, and for strengthening the authority of the Roman See during the 4th century.
Saint Damasus I, who served as the Bishop of Rome from 366 to 384 AD, played a pivotal role in the early development of the faith, most notably by commissioning Saint Jerome to undertake the monumental task of translating the entire Bible into Latin, a version that became known as the Vulgate and served as the authoritative text for centuries. During his pontificate, he vigorously combated various heresies, including Arianism and Apollinarianism, and convened synods to uphold orthodox doctrine, such as the Council of Rome in 382 AD. Furthermore, he actively promoted the veneration of martyrs by restoring and decorating their tombs in the Roman catacombs, and he significantly contributed to solidifying the primacy and authority of the Roman See within the broader Christian community.
Saint Damasus I, born in Rome around 305 AD, emerged from a prominent Roman family, with his father, Antonius, serving as a priest. This upbringing within the heart of the burgeoning Christian community in the imperial capital provided him with an intimate understanding of both Roman society and the developing ecclesiastical structure. He served as a deacon and then a priest in the Roman Church, gaining considerable experience and respect, which positioned him as a leading candidate for the papacy following the death of Pope Liberius in 366 AD. His early life, steeped in the traditions and challenges of a Church newly granted freedom but still grappling with internal divisions, prepared him for the formidable task of leading the See of Peter during a critical period of theological and organizational consolidation. His deep roots in Rome and his ecclesiastical training laid the groundwork for a pontificate that would profoundly shape the future of the Western Church.
In the twilight years of the fourth century, amidst the grand, yet ancient, city of Rome, stood Pope Damasus I – a man whose very soul seemed intertwined with the sacred earth beneath the Eternal City. His pontificate was marked not only by theological battles and the commissioning of the Vulgate but also by a profound, almost poetic, devotion to the martyrs whose blood had consecrated the very ground of Rome. Day after day, Damasus would descend into the labyrinthine darkness of the catacombs, those subterranean cities of the dead where countless heroes of the faith lay entombed. With a lantern held high, he would guide laborers to clear forgotten passages, restore crumbling cubicles, and illuminate the resting places of those who had borne witness to Christ with their lives.
But Damasus was not merely an administrator of the sacred; he was a poet of sorrow and triumph. With his own hand, he meticulously composed elegant, metrical epitaphs for the martyrs, carving verses into marble slabs that spoke of their courage, their faith, and their glorious ascent to heaven. He sought to ensure that their sacrifices would never be forgotten, that their memory would inspire generations to come. He was, in essence, giving a voice to the silent saints, making their stories resonate through the ages.
As the years of his pontificate drew to a close, and the weight of his office began to press upon him, Damasus, ever mindful of the ultimate journey, began to contemplate his own final resting place. Where would the shepherd of Rome lay his head when his earthly labors ceased? The thought of joining the revered martyrs, those whose memory he had so diligently honored, must have been profoundly appealing. To rest among the very heroes he celebrated, to share their hallowed ground, seemed a fitting end for a successor of Peter.
Yet, a deep vein of humility ran through the heart of Damasus. Despite his immense stature as Pope, despite his tireless work for the Church and his unwavering defense of orthodox faith, he felt a profound unworthiness when compared to the pure, unblemished sacrifice of the martyrs. He, a man of flesh and fault, to lie side-by-side with those who had shed their blood for Christ without hesitation? It was a thought that stirred a profound sense of awe and, indeed, trepidation within him.
This profound humility found its most eloquent expression in the epitaph he composed for himself, a testament to his character that would echo through history. He wrote, with a profound tenderness and respect, the words: "*Hic Damasus volui requiescere membris, sed metui sanctos vexare piosque cinere.*" (Here I, Damasus, wished to rest my limbs, but I feared to disturb the holy ashes of the pious ones.) It was an admission of his immense reverence for the martyrs, a quiet acknowledgment that their sanctity was so great that even his own presence might somehow diminish the sacredness of their rest.
So, when his earthly pilgrimage concluded in 384 AD, Saint Damasus I was laid to rest not directly within the hallowed crypts of the catacombs, but in a basilica he himself had built on the Via Ardeatina, near the Catacomb of Callixtus. His choice was a final, humble act of devotion, a poignant refusal to presume upon the sacred space of those he held in such veneration. His life was a testament to robust leadership and intellectual vigor, but his death revealed the tender heart of a shepherd who, even in his final rest, knelt in profound humility before the sanctity of God's most faithful servants.
382 AD
It is a matter of the Holy Spirit's divine inspiration that we, the bishops, assembled from various parts of the West, have been moved to discuss the canonical Scriptures and the various heresies that trouble the unity of the Catholic Church. We have done so in order that all the churches, especially those in the West, may know what books are to be received and what are to be rejected, and that they may hold fast to the true faith, which has been handed down from the Apostles.
First, therefore, it is to be remembered that the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church has been placed at the forefront, not by synodal decrees, but by the evangelical voice of our Lord and Savior, who says: 'Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.' (Matthew 16:18-19). To this is joined the company of the blessed Apostle Paul, the vessel of election, who on the very same day, with Peter, was crowned with a glorious death in the city of Rome, under the Emperor Nero, and together they consecrated the aforesaid holy Roman Church to Christ the Lord with their presence and venerable triumph. The first See, therefore, is that of Peter the Apostle, that of the Roman Church, which has neither spot nor blemish, nor anything of the kind. The second See is that of Alexandria, consecrated in the name of the holy Peter by Mark, his disciple and evangelist, who was sent by the Apostle Peter to Egypt, and there preached the word of truth and consummated his glorious martyrdom. The third See is that of Antioch, which was honored by the name of the holy Peter, because he dwelt there before he came to Rome, and there the disciples of Christ were first called Christians.
Now, concerning the divine Scriptures, what the universal Catholic Church receives and what it ought to shun: This is the order of the Old Testament:
Genesis, one book
Exodus, one book
Leviticus, one book
Numbers, one book
Deuteronomy, one book
Joshua, one book
Judges, one book
Ruth, one book
Kings, four books (1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings)
Paralipomenon (Chronicles), two books
Psalms, one book
Solomon, five books:
Proverbs, one book
Ecclesiastes, one book
Canticle of Canticles, one book
Wisdom, one book
Ecclesiasticus, one book
Isaiah, one book
Jeremiah, one book, with Baruch
Ezekiel, one book
Daniel, one book
Osee (Hosea), one book
Amos, one book
Micah, one book
Joel, one book
Abdias (Obadiah), one book
Jonas (Jonah), one book
Nahum, one book
Habacuc (Habakkuk), one book
Sophonias (Zephaniah), one book
Aggaeus (Haggai), one book
Zacharias (Zechariah), one book
Malachias (Malachi), one book
Job, one book
Tobit, one book
Judith, one book
Esther, one book
Esdras (Ezra), two books (Ezra and Nehemiah)
Maccabees, two books
Likewise the order of the writings of the New and Eternal Testament, which the holy and Catholic Church is known to receive:
Of the Gospels, four books:
according to Matthew, one book
according to Mark, one book
according to Luke, one book
according to John, one book
The Epistles of Paul, fourteen in number:
one to the Romans
two to the Corinthians
one to the Ephesians
one to the Thessalonians
one to the Galatians
one to the Philippians
one to the Colossians
two to Timothy
one to Titus
one to Philemon
one to the Hebrews
Two Epistles of Peter
Three Epistles of John
One Epistle of James
One Epistle of Jude
The Acts of the Apostles, one book
The Apocalypse of John, one book
These are the books that the Holy Catholic Church receives. If anyone wishes to know what are the apocryphal books, or what are to be rejected, let him know that they are not to be read in the Catholic Church.
383 AD
You urge me, Damasus, to revise the old Latin version, and, as it were, to sit in judgment on the copies of the Scriptures which are now scattered throughout the whole world; and, inasmuch as they differ from one another, you would have me decide which of them agree with the Greek original. The labour is one of love, but at the same time both perilous and presumptuous; for in judging others I must be content to be judged by all; and how can I correct the mistakes of others, when I am myself liable to make so many?
But when I reflect on the command of your Blessedness, I am constrained to obey. For if I am to be honest, I confess that I have often turned to the Greek copies, and found that the Latin ones are not in agreement. This is a work of great difficulty, for we must compare the Latin copies with the Greek, and also with the original Hebrew, and then correct them in such a way that the errors introduced by the carelessness of transcribers, or the presumption of emendators, or the additions and subtractions of thoughtless scribes, may be removed.
This work requires not only great labour, but also great caution. For there are almost as many forms of text as there are copies. And what is more, some have been added, others omitted, through the fault of copyists; and where one word is found in the Greek, in the Latin we often find two or three, or even more. And what is worse, the sense is often perverted, and the meaning obscured, so that it is difficult to extract the true sense from such a multitude of errors.
This is a work that has been undertaken by many before me, but none has succeeded in producing a perfect version. For some have been too much attached to the old version, and have not dared to depart from it, even when it was manifestly wrong. Others have been too bold, and have introduced new readings without sufficient authority. And what is more, the errors have accumulated over time, so that now it is almost impossible to find a pure copy.
Therefore, I have undertaken this work, not with the intention of condemning the old version, but of correcting it where it is manifestly wrong, and of restoring it to its original purity. And I have done so with the greatest care, comparing the Latin copies with the Greek, and also with the original Hebrew, and consulting the best manuscripts. And I have done so, not for the sake of novelty, but for the sake of truth, and in obedience to your command.
I know that there will be many who will object to this work, and who will prefer the old errors to the new truth. But I am confident that those who are truly learned and pious will appreciate my labour, and will recognize the necessity of this revision. For it is better to correct the errors of the past than to perpetuate them for the future. And it is better to have a pure and accurate text than to cling to one that is corrupted and obscure.
Therefore, I beg you, Blessed Damasus, to accept this work with your usual kindness, and to protect me with your authority from the attacks of those who will seek to calumniate me. For I know that I shall be assailed by many, and that my work will be condemned by those who prefer ignorance to knowledge, and error to truth. But I am confident that, with your support, I shall be able to overcome all obstacles, and to complete this work to the glory of God and the benefit of the Church.