SAINT PETER OF ALEXANDRIA,
Bishop, Martyr
(† 311)
St. Peter governed the Church of Alexandria during the persecution of Diocletian. He was the first to excommunicate Melitius and Arius, the schismatics. Upholding the Apostles Creed and Church Traditions, St. Peter resisted the united efforts of powerful partisans, and strenuously upheld basic, founding doctrines. St. Peter clearly possessed as much sagacity as zeal and firmness.
St. Peter's first care was in guarding his flocks from the dangers of persecution. He always encouraged his flock to die to their own self, to see with eyes of faith unfettered by earthly vanities.
St. Peter gave an example of such detachment by receiving martyrdom in 311 A.D.
Saint Sylvester
Abbot
(† 1267)
St. Sylvester, born of a noble family at Osimo, in Picenum, was remarkable, even as a boy, for his keen intelligence and upright conduct. Being duly instructed in sacred learning and made a canon, he benefited his people by his example and his sermons. At the funeral of a relative, who was also a nobleman and very handsome, on seeing the disfigured corpse in the open tomb, said: "What this man was, I am now; and what he is now, I shall be."
St. Sylvester went to a deserted place to seek perfection in conforming his will to the Divine. There, he held vigils, prayers and fasts. To live his vocation as solitary and mystic, St. Sylvester continually changed his dwelling place. At length, he arrived at Monte Fano, at the time a removed place, and built a church in honor of St. Benedict. In doing so, St. Sylvester laid the foundations of the Congregation of Sylvestrines.
At his Church in Monte Fano, St. Sylvester guided his monks with wonderful prudence and God-given graces. He possessed the gift of prophecy, and had power over demons; as well as other gifts, which were never put on exhibition.
He passed away in 1267 to join the Church Triumphant in heaven.