The saint celebrated on 31 December has no link with New Year. It is just a coincidence of the Gregorian calendar. Sylvester was the 33rd Pope. He was of Roman origin and held the throne of Saint Peter for almost twenty-two years (314-335). It was under his reign that Christianity was recognised as the official religion of the Roman Empire, with the conversion of Emperor Constantine I. Sylvester therefore had the serious responsibility of organising the Church in a society finally at peace.