Paula of Rome (AD 347–404) was a Roman saint and early Desert Mother.
Paula was the daughter of Blesilla and Rogatus (members of one of the richest Roman senatorial families). In her mid teens, Paula was married to the nobleman Toxotius, with whom she had four daughters and a boy.
At the age of 32, Paula was widowed. She continued to dedicate herself to her family, but became more interested in religion. Through the influence of Saint Marcella and her group, Paula became an enthusiastic member of this semi-monastic group of women. In 382, she met Saint Jerome, who had come to Rome.
A year after the death of her husband, Paula pursued a pilgrimage to tour all of the holy sites traveling with large entourages of both men and women including her daughter Eustochium and Jerome himself.
At the end of her journey, Paula decided to remain in Bethlehem to develop a monastery and spiritual retreat with Jerome.
Once settled in Bethlehem, Paula and Jerome built a double monastery: one for Paula and her nuns and another for Jerome and his monks. The addition of a roadside hostel was also constructed to serve as an economic source to fund the monasteries.
Once completed, the monastery segregated each gender during manual labor and meals, but practiced prayer in the same locale. Jerome and Paula's retreat attracted large crowds of visitors both from Christian backgrounds and general travelers from a variety of regions including Ethiopia, Persia, and India. Aristocratic refugees were also drawn to the retreat due to Jerome's extensive network of followers.
Paula maintained her ascetic devotion through intensive studies of the Old and New Testaments, often under the guidance of Jerome. With this, she also practiced a strict fasting regimen, abstinence, and pursued a destitute lifestyle “to preserve a singular attachment to God” as stated by Jerome.
While practicing this life of isolation, Paula still continued to interact with local clergy and bishops and devoted much attention to teaching the nuns under her sovereignty. Paula was recognized as a major figure in the Christian community.
She died on January 26 404 CE. At her funeral, a significant portion of the Palestinian population arrived to honor her. A year after her passing, Paula was given the title of Saint by the Latin Church.
from Wikipedia
Eustochium (c. 368 – September 28, 419 or 420), was Paula's daughter and is also venerated as a saint and an early Desert Mother.
Eustochium spoke Latin and Classical Greek with equal ease and was able to read the scriptures in the Hebrew text. Many of Jerome's Biblical commentaries owe their existence to her influence and to her he dedicated his commentaries on the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel.
The letters which Jerome wrote for her instruction and spiritual advancement are, according to his own testimony, very numerous.
After the death of her mother Paula in 404, Eustochium assumed the direction of the nuns in the monestary. Her task was difficult because the monestary was impoverished due to the lavish almsgiving of Paula.
from Wikipedia
Compel us, O God, to attend diligently to your Word, as did your faithful servants Paula and Eustochium, that, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we may find it profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness; and that thereby we may be made wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.