Christian marriage in the thought and teachings of St. Jerome

Sveti Jeronim podrijetlom je iz naših krajeva, plodan je crkveni pisac i od starine priznati crkveni naučitelj velikoga ugleda. U svojim spisima govori prigodno i o mjestu i značenju ženidbe u kršćanskom životu, osobito onda kada neposrednije ističe vrijednost i prednost djevičanskog života pred ženidbenim životom. No ipak ne zanemaruje istaknuti dostojanstvo kršćanske ženidbe, njezinu pravnu oznaku. Ženidba ima i svoje dostojne svrhe, slaže se s vječnim nadnaravnim vrednotama, ali je prate i sjene. Iako priznaje ćudorednu dobrotu zakonitom ponavljanju ženidbe, ipak radije odvraća od sklapanja druge ženidbe. U ženidbi vidi, poput pravovjernih učitelja koji su pisali prije njega, znamen viših, neprolaznih stvarnosti.St. Jerome, prolific writer of the Church whose place of origin is the present-day Croatia, has also been venerated through the ages as an eminent teacher of the Church. On occasion he touches on the status and significance of marriage in Christian life in his writings, and in particular he addresses the issues of the value and preference of chastity to marriage. Furthermore, he does not neglect to stress the dignity of Holy Matrimony, its legality. Marriage has its dignified purpose, is in conformity with eternal, supernatural values; however, difficulties arise and these need to be addressed. Although he recognizes the moral good of lawful remarriage, he nevertheless recommends that one refrain from contracting a second marriage. In marriage he sees, as do the orthodox teachers before him, a sign of higher timeless realities