Description: (Pope)
Pope Sylvester I, who served as the bishop of Rome from 314 to 335, played a vital role in the history of the Western Church. He organized the Council of Arles in 314 to address the Donatist sect and the First Council of Nicaea in 325 to address the Arian controversy. During his pontificate, Emperor Constantine I was baptized, and significant churches such as Old St. Peter's Basilica, the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, and the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran were constructed. Sylvester I is recognized as a saint, with his feast day celebrated on December 31 in Western Christianity and on January 2 in Eastern Christianity.