Sylvester Gozzolini

Silvestro Guzzolini (* around 1177 in Osimo near Ancona (Italy ), † November 26, 1267 Fabriano ) was an Italian priest, abbot and founder of the Order of Sylvestrine. He was canonized in 1598.

History

Silvestro Guzzolini was the son of a noble lawyers to the world. As the successor to his father, he should also be a lawyer, he studied therefore in Padua and Bologna jurisprudence. Against the will of his father, he began the study of theology. His first priestly office he held in the diocese of Osimo than canons and worked as a pastor. The long harsh confrontations with his local bishop finally led him in 1227 to live as a hermit. He retired to a cave, not far from Osimo, and lived there for three years in complete solitude. After that more confreres joined him, this meant that he 1231 on Monte Fano in Fabriano built a monastery and together with his students lived according to the rules of St. Benedict of Nursia. Silvestro put next to the vows according to the evangelical counsels of poverty, obedience and chastity in addition great importance to fasting, to the pastoral care, preaching and the decrease of the confession. Under his leadership, more monasteries were built, other monasteries studied the community and in a few years, the congregation grew. On June 27, 1247, the Congregation by Pope Innocent IV received the approval and led from then on the name " Sylvestrine ".

Worship

After his death Silvestro Guzzolini was buried in the church of St. Silvestro on Monte Fano. The reliquary is still on the main altar. Canonized in 1598 by Pope Clement VIII the founder of the order, the feast was set on November 26. The saint is shown in a black robe Benedictine, additional attributes are a coffin with a male corpse or the administration of the Holy Communion by Mary. The presentation with the coffin leads back to the legend, which reports that he will be the decision summarized Hermit at the coffin of his best friend.