The pope that’s remembered every year on December 31

In many European countries, December 31, also often known as New Year’s Eve, is healthier often known as St Sylvester’s Day or just Sylvester, named after a pope from the time of the Council of Nicaea. This is the story …

New Year’s Eve

Around the world New Year’s Eve is marked by parties and fireworks at midnight. However, what known as New Year’s Eve within the English-speaking world is healthier often known as Sylvester by people from across many European countries, especially those of largely Catholic heritage. For German, Slovak and Slovenian speakers the day known as Silvester, for Hungarian speakers it known as Szilverster, for Czechs it’s Silvestr, for Poles it’s Sylwester, for Croats it’s Silvestrovo. For French speakers it’s the feast of los angeles Saint-Sylvestre, and for Italians it’s San Silvestro. But who was Sylvester?

Sylvester

Not loads is understood about Sylvester’s adolescence. Dates for his birth range from AD 250 to 285 in Rome or near Naples, and his parents were said to be called Rufinus and Justa. The sources do agree that he was from Italy and have become a Benedictine abbot and priest, before being elected to succeed Miltiades as bishop of Rome (often known as the Pope) in AD 314. This was a pivotal time because in 312 Emperor Constantine became a Christian and in 313, the Edict of Milan ended state persecution and granted the church legal standing and privileges within the Roman Empire.

Pope Sylvester

Sylvester was then Pope for 21 years from 314 until he died. He is critical mainly because his long pontificate coincided with Christianity’s transition from a persecuted religion, to being the official imperial religion. The Council of Arles happened during his first yr in 314 and condemned the heresy of Donatism. It was in the course of the papacy of Pope Sylvester, that the Nicene Creed was formulated in AD 325, which had its 1,700th anniversary in 2025. Pope Sylvester didn’t attend the council, but he was represented by legates and he accepted its decisions.

Legends

Two legends arose from the story of Sylvester and Constantine. One was that Constantine was healed of leprosy when Sylvester baptised him, which echoes the story of Naaman within the Jordan (2 Kings 5:10). Today there’s a small pilgrimage church called “Santuario di San Silvestro Papa” in Monte San Silvestro area of Sant’Angelo a Scala near Naples, which is by a spring whose healing waters are said to have healed Emperor Constantine. The other legend was that Emperor Constantine granted temporal authority over Rome and the West to the Pope, which was a legend which later popes quoted to justify their power. Whatever the reality of those, and even modern Catholic historians reject them, Sylvester got on well with Emperor Constatine, and was the primary Pope to control with the assistance of imperial support and resources, and so is seen as the primary institutional Pope.

Churches in Rome

Under Sylvester, Constantine sponsored the constructing of some major churches in Rome significantly: Basilica di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem); San Giovanni in Laterano (St John Lateran), which is the Pope’s official cathedral; and Basilica di San Pietro (St Peter’s Basilica), which was replaced within the sixteenth century by the present St Peter’s on the Vatican. 

Death

Sylvester died in Rome on December 31, 335. He was originally buried within the catacomb of Priscilla on the Via Salaria, but in 762 his stays were moved to a church dedicated to him called San Silvestro in Capite, on Piazza San Silvestro in Rome. San Silvestro (St Sylvester) holds masses in English and traditionally serves British and Irish Catholics in Rome. St Sylvester is thought to be a patron saint of stonemasons due to great constructing projects which took place when he was Pope. Sylvester was never formally canonised but after his death he was often known as St Sylvester. Sylvester was considered one of the primary holy men who was not a martyr to be honoured as a saint. As commonly happened with saints his day of remembrance was the anniversary of his death, hence December 31, which became the Feast of St Sylvester or St Sylvester’s Day, or simply Sylvester.

Order of St Sylvester

St Sylvester is the patron saint of a papal order of chivalry called the “Militia Aurata”, or “Golden Spur”, which in keeping with legend was founded by Emperor Constantine. In 1841, Pope Gregory XVI, created the Order of Pope St Sylvester. Since 1905, Pope St Pius X created 4 classes: Knight/Dame, Knight/Dame Commander, Knight/Dame Commander with Star (Grand Officer), Knight/Dame Grand Cross.

St Sylvester’s Day

St Sylvester’s Day got here synonymous with New Year’s Eve within the Catholic tradition. Later after there have been two other Popes by the name of Sylvester within the tenth and eleventh centuries, he became often known as Pope Sylvester I.In 1582 when Pope Gregorian XIII reformed the calendar, January 1 became the official New Year’s Day across much of Catholic Europe, as a substitute of Lady Day, which made December 31 the definitive last day of the yr. Therefore, the association of St Sylvester’s day with New Year’s Eve dates back to this time. For example, Polish people around the globe will often gather for a “bal sylwestrowy” (Sylvester Ball). 

Meanwhile in Protestant Europe the marking of saints’ days and remembering popes was mainly discontinued, and St Sylvester became forgotten. In Scotland celebrating New Year became Hogmanay.

Dinner for One

In Germany and Scandinavia there’s a practice to look at an English comedy sketch called “Dinner for One”. This British comedy sketch by Freddie Frinton and May Warden dates from 1963 and is loved in German-speaking countries and across Scandinavia where it’s shown every year as a part of traditional viewing for Sylvester, with its catchphrase “Same procedure as every yr”.

Reflection

As we reflect on the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea we will remember Pope Sylvester who endorsed the Nicene Creed and took the opportunities for the Church, afforded by Emperor Constantine’s conversion. Across much of central Europe New Year’s Eve is just often known as Sylvester in his honour.