Pope Sylvester I

Pope Saint

Sylvester I
Pope Saint; Sylvester I
Bishop of Rome
	14th-century head reliquary, Zadar
Church	Nicene Church
Papacy began	31 January 314
Papacy ended	31 December 335
Predecessor	Miltiades
Successor	Mark
Personal details
Born	285; Asculam, Roman Empire
Died	31 December 335 (aged 50); Rome, Roman Empire
Sainthood
Feast day	31 December (Catholic); 2 January (Orthodox); 22 December (Armenian);
Venerated in	Catholic Church; Anglican Communion; Eastern Orthodox Church; Armenian Apostolic Church; Lutheran Church;
Attributes	Papal vestments; Papal tiara; Bull; Dragon;
Patronage	Feroleto Antico; Sylvestrine; Benedictines; Nonantola;
	Other popes named Sylvester

Pope Sylvester I (also Silvester, 285 – 31 December 335) was the bishop of Rome from 31 January 314 until his death on 31 December 335. He filled the See of Rome at an important era in the history of the Western Church, though very little is known of his life.

During his pontificate, he notably convened the Council of Arles in 314, which condemned the separatist Donatist sect, and the First Council of Nicaea in 325, which aimed to resolve the Arian controversy. His pontificate also coincided with the baptism of Roman Emperor Constantine I.

Sylvester I's pontificate coincided with the construction of churches including Old St. Peter's Basilica, the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem (Santa Croce in Gerusalemme), as well as the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran. His feast is celebrated as Saint Sylvester's Day, on 31 December in Western Christianity, and on 2 January in Eastern Christianity.

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