December 31: Saint Sylvester I, Pope—Optional Memorial

Read entire reflection online >>>December 31: Saint Sylvester I, Pope—Optional Memorialc. Late Third Century–335Patron Saint of animals, harvests, and stonemasonsPre-Congregation canonizationLiturgical Color: WhiteQuote: And so, on the first day after receiving the mystery of the holy baptism, and after the cure of my body from the squalor of the leprosy, I recognized that there was no other God save the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; whom the most blessed Sylvester the pope doth preach…And when, the blessed Sylvester preaching them, I perceived these things, and learned that by the kindness of St. Peter himself I had been entirely restored to health: I…decree that his holy Roman church shall be honored with veneration; and that, more than our empire and earthly throne, the most sacred seat of St. Peter shall be gloriously exalted; we giving to it the imperial power, and dignity of glory, and vigor and honor. And we ordain and decree that he shall have the supremacy as well over the four chief seats Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople and Jerusalem, as also over all the churches of God in the whole world. ~From the legendary “Donation of Constantine” Prayer:Saint Sylvester, you were privileged not only to be elected pope, but to do so during a time of great progress and transformation for the Church. You took control and navigated the Church at this crucial and pivotal time by God’s grace and hard work. Please pray for me, that I will wholeheartedly embrace the mission given to me by Christ, so that God can use me for important work in this day and age. Saint Sylvester, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: mycatholic.lifeCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Image: Public domain via Wikimedia