Bishop
Saint Pope Sylvester of Rome (314–335) was born in Rome to Christian parents Rufinus and Pusta. After the death of his father, he remained under the care of his mother. A disciple of the presbyter Quirinus, he received a good education and became a true Christian. During the time of persecution against Christians, he was not afraid to accept the holy confessor Bishop Timothy, who lived with him for more than a year and converted many to Christ. After the martyrdom of Timothy, Sylvester secretly buried his body. For this, he was captured by the governor Tarquin and, despite threats, remained steadfast in faith, for which he was imprisoned. After the death of Tarquin, the saint was freed and began to preach to the pagans, converting them to Christianity.
At the age of thirty, he was accepted into the clergy of the Roman Church and was ordained a deacon, and then a presbyter by Pope Marcellinus. After the death of Pope Melchiades, he was elected Bishop of Rome. He cared for the purity of the lives of the pastors and strictly monitored the performance of the ministry. He was renowned as a deep scholar of Sacred Scripture and a defender of the Christian faith.
During the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great, when the period of persecution ended, the Jews arranged a dispute about the true faith. Saint Sylvester, speaking on behalf of the Christians, convincingly proved on the basis of the Sacred Books of the Old Testament that the Nativity of Jesus Christ was foretold by the prophets. In this verbal contest, the saint was recognized as the victor, and many Jews, including Zambrius, believed in Christ and asked for baptism.
Saint Pope Sylvester governed the Roman Church for more than twenty years, enjoyed deep respect from Christians, and peacefully departed in old age in 335.
