On January 2, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church commemorates St. Sylvester, Pope of Rome, along with Venerable Seraphim of Sarov and Saint Theogen, Bishop of Paris.

Venerable Seraphim, born Prókhor Isídorovich Moshnín in 1754 in Kursk, came from a respected merchant family. His father was a church builder, while his mother raised three children, Prokhor being the youngest. From an early age, he displayed exceptional qualities, including angelic humility and a remarkable intellect. His childhood was marked by miraculous events that reinforced the belief that he was chosen by God. At the age of seven, Prókhor survived a fall from a bell tower without injury, and at ten, he was healed from an illness through the intercession of a miraculous icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. A righteous elder once told his mother that her son would one day become a powerful intercessor before God.

At 19, Prókhor entered the Sarov Monastery, where he spent the next 54 years. He was tonsured a monk and took the name Seraphim. After 16 years, he retreated to a hermitage in the wilderness, spending 16 years in solitary asceticism. For 1000 days and nights, he prayed on a granite stone, standing or kneeling, and for three years, he maintained complete silence. His ascetic practices led to profound spiritual maturity, and in 1825, he began his role as an elder. His gentle teachings, filled with love and joy, earned him admiration from all who encountered him. St. Seraphim passed away on January 15, 1833, and was canonized in 1903, with over 300,000 faithful, including Emperor Nicholas II, attending the event. His relics are now kept in the Diveyevo Monastery, where he is the patron saint.

In 2015, after a request from Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow sent a reliquary containing a particle of St. Seraphim's relics to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The reliquary was solemnly placed in the Patriarchal Cathedral "St. Alexander Nevsky" in Sofia on January 2, 2016, where it remains for the faithful to venerate.

Today, the Church also honors St. Sylvester, Pope of Rome. Christians with the names Silva, Silvana, Sylvia, and Seraphim celebrate their name day. The name Sylvester, derived from Latin, means "forest." It is customary for people to clean their homes on this day after the holiday season.

St. Sylvester, born in Rome, was deeply influenced by his teacher, the pious presbyter Cyrin. Known for his hospitality, he welcomed many strangers into his home. At 30, Sylvester was ordained a deacon by Pope Miltiades, and after Miltiades' death, he became the 35th Pope of Rome. During his papacy from 314 to 335, he oversaw significant reforms under Emperor Constantine the Great, helping end Christian persecutions and promote peace within the Church. St. Sylvester was instrumental in the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325 and, through his emissaries, signed the acts of the council. He also renamed Sunday as the "day of the Lord" in recognition of Christ's resurrection.

St. Sylvester's death followed many years of fruitful labor, during which he attracted numerous pagans and Jews to Christianity. His relics are preserved in a tomb he constructed at the "St. Priscilla" catacomb, one of the oldest burial sites in Rome.

On this day, Bulgarians celebrate Karamanovden and the Ox Festival, honoring cattle, especially oxen, which were once the main draft animals.

Sources:

• OFFNews
• Bulgarian National Radio (BNR)