Saint of the Day December 31, 2002
St. Sylvester I
When you think of this pope, you think of the Edict of
Milan, the emergence of the Church from the catacombs,
the building of the great basilicas, Saint John
Lateran, Saint Peter’s and others, the Council of
Nicaea and other critical events. But for the most
part, these events were planned or brought about by
Emperor Constantine.
A great store of legends has grown up around the man
who was pope at this most important time, but very
little can be established historically. We know for
sure that his papacy lasted from 314 until his death
in 335. Reading between the lines of history, we are
assured that only a very strong and wise man could
have preserved the essential independence of the
Church in the face of the overpowering figure of the
Emperor Constantine. The bishops in general remained
loyal to the Holy See and at times expressed apologies
to Sylvester for undertaking important ecclesiastical
projects at the urging of Constantine.
love + prayers,
Joseachayan / Jeddah
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