Saint Silverius

Saint Silverius was Pope from June 8, 536, to March 537. His papacy was marked by political intrigue and conflict, leading to his deposition and subsequent martyrdom. Here are some key points about his life:

- **Early Life**: Silverius was born in Frosinone, Campania, Italy, to the future Pope Hormisdas before Hormisdas had entered the priesthood.

- **Papacy**: He was a subdeacon when he was nominated to the papacy by the Ostrogothic King Theodahad. Silverius was consecrated as Pope on June 8, 536, succeeding St. Agapetus I.

- **Conflict with Empress Theodora**: His papacy was troubled by the Byzantine Empress Theodora's efforts to promote the Monophysite doctrine, which Silverius opposed. When he refused to comply with her wishes to reinstate the deposed Monophysite Patriarch Anthimus of Constantinople, Theodora orchestrated his removal.

- **Deposition and Exile**: The Byzantine general Belisarius, under Theodora's orders, deposed Silverius in December 536. After being accused of treasonable collaboration with the Ostrogoths, he was degraded to the rank of monk and exiled to Lycia, Anatolia.

- **Death**: Silverius was eventually banished to the island of Palmaria, near Naples, where he died on December 2, 537, either by murder or starvation.

- **Feast Day**: Saint Silverius is commemorated on June 20, which is recognized as his feast day in the Roman Catholic Church.

His life story is a testament to the complex interplay between church and state during the early Byzantine period, and his steadfastness in the face of political pressure has been remembered by the Church through his sainthood.

(1) Saint Silverius | Pope, Exiled, Martyr | Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Silverius. (2) Pope Silverius - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Silverius. (3) Saint Silverius | Pope, Exiled, Martyr | Britannica. https://bing.com/search?q=Saint+Silverius+biography. (4) Pope Silverius - New World Encyclopedia. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Pope_Silverius. (5) Pope Saint Silverius - America Needs Fatima. https://americaneedsfatima.org/articles/saint-silverius.