Silvester of Valdiseve (1278–1348) was a medieval monk who is not yet recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, but rather a Blessed. Silvester was christened Ventura and lived in Florence. He was involved in the processing of wool (carding and bleaching) until the age of 40 when he became a monk. He entered the Benedictine Camaldolese

Camaldolese

The Camaldolese monks and nuns are part of the Benedictine family of monastic communities which follow the way of life outlined in the Rule of St. Benedict, written in the 6th century...

 monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli

Santa Maria degli Angeli, Florence

Santa Maria degli Angeli is the former church of a now-defunct monastery in Florence, Italy. It belonged to the Camaldolese order, which was a reformed branch of the Benedictines. The congregation was founded in 1012 by the hermit St. Romuald at Camaldoli, near Arezzo, hence the name...

, also located in Florence. There, he worked as a cook.

Although unable to read, Silvester thought deeply on theological subjects and was consulted by scholars and monks alike, including the prior. He was also sought for counsel by the Augustinian monk Blessed Simon of Cascia

Simon of Cascia

Blessed Simon of Cascia was an ascetic and preacher from Cascia, Italy. In his early days, he was influenced by the Spiritual Franciscan Angelo Clareno da Cingoli. He entered the Order of Augustinian Hermits at a young age, where he was known as a model of monastic virtue and for his learning...

. Silvester also opposed overly harsh penitence by monks. He died at the age of 70.

Sources

Butler, Jones and Burns. Butler's Lives of the Saints. p. 80.

Delaney, John A. "Dictionary of Saints". p. 582

External links

A number of early versions of the saint’s life are included in Leggende di alcuni santi e beati venerati in S. Maria degli Angeli di Firenze, ed. by Casimiro Stolfi (Bologna: Gaetano Romagnoli, 1867).