Vulgate: How did it come about?
The translation was largely the work of Jerome of Stridon who, in 382, had been commissioned by Pope Damasus I to revise the old Latin version used by the Roman Church. Once published, the new version became widely adopted.
Vulgate: Its longevity?
For over a thousand years ( 400–1530 CE), the Vulgate was the most commonly used edition of the most influential text in Western European society. Indeed, for most medieval (Western) Christians, it was the only version of the Bible ever encountered.
Until 1450, when Gutenberg printed this text, copies were also very rare and expensive. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the Bible was finally translated into modern languages, against great resistance from the Church. Finally in the mid-20th Century, the Roman Catholic church abandoned the use of Latin for liturgy.
However, this remains one of the most historically important Latin texts.