Written by Guide Catholic
Pope St. Silverius (58º): Biography, Pontificate & Legacy
Pontificate: 8 June 536 –11 March 537 · Origin: Frosinone, Reino Visigótico · Birth name: Silverius
St. Silverius was the 58th pope of the Catholic Church, reigning 8 June 536 –11 March 537 during late antiquity. Subject of the(Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy of Roman descent. The Catholic Church venerates him as a saint.
Who Was Pope Silverius?
St. Silverius holds the 58º place among Roman pontiffs, with a recorded reign of 8 June 536 –11 March 537 inside late antiquity. Subject of the(Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy of Roman descent. What follows is a structured biography — early life, context, acts, and succession — written for Catholics who want Silverius in context. Catholics also honor him as a saint whose intercession remains part of living devotion.
Early Life & Background
Born Silverius, he entered a world shaped by politics and piety very different from today's global Church.
Historical Context
Silverius (#undefined) governed amid imperial transition, invasions, and debates over Christ's nature — Rome's bishop increasingly seen as a guardian of orthodoxy for the wider Church.
Pontificate & Key Events
The pontificate (8 June 536 –11 March 537) centered on governance during late antiquity. Exiled; feast day 20 June.
Papal Acts & Achievements
Acts associated with Silverius (#58, 8 June 536 –11 March 537) still draw historians and Catholics who want more than a one-line summary. His reign remains a link in the succession now counted at 267 popes.
Key Highlights
- 58th pope of the Catholic Church
- Pontificate: 8 June 536 –11 March 537
- Venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church
- Exiled; feast day 20 June.
Legacy in the Catholic Church
St. Silverius remains pope 58º in the Annuario Pontificio. The Church still points to Silverius's virtues for imitation. Set against late antiquity, Silverius's choices show both the limits of any one pontiff and the continuity of the office he held.
Why Catholics Study This Pope Today
If you only remember one modern question about Silverius, ask how his decisions served unity and truth under the pressures of late antiquity. Because the Church venerates Silverius, you may seek his intercession and check his feast in the Martyrology or local calendar. Begin with this documented note: Subject of the(Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy of Roman descent. Then step back to the full list of 267 popes to see where Silverius sits between crisis and consolidation.
Place in the Line of Succession
St. Silverius followed Pope St. Agapetus I (57º, 13 May 535 –22 April 536) after a transition shaped by the politics and piety of their shared century. He was followed by Pope Vigilius (59º, 29 March 537 –7 June 555), whose biography continues the chain on Guide Catholic. For the full chronological map, see our complete list of all 267 popes — then read neighboring biographies for contrast, not only continuity.