St. Sylvester, Bishop of Kanev (+ 1908) was born on January 9, 1828 in a priest’s family in the Volyn Province. He graduated from the Volyn Theological Seminary in 1847, after which he was married and ordained a priest, though his wife died during childbirth in 1850.
In 1853, he entered the Kiev Theological Academy, and three years later took monastic vows. He graduated from the Academy in 1857, after which he began teaching there and was later appointed inspector. His contemporaries note that for him, all students, good and bad, were equal.
He immersed himself in theological works and published the 5-volume The Experience of Orthodox Dogmatic Theology from 1878 to 1891. In 1883, he was elected as rector of the Academy and was consecrated as a bishop on January 20, 1885. St. Sylvester greatly advanced the Academy during his 15 years as rector.
His contemporaries note that in him they saw the ancient ideal of a saint—both a teacher of faith and a model of true piety. He was deeply humble and led an ascetic life. In addition to his duties as rector, he also took care of orphans from the Kiev-Podoslky Theological School and never refused to help the poor.
The last years of his service as rector were overshadowed by a number of student riots, and he resigned in 1897 for health reasons. Being the first vicar of the Kiev Metropolis, he was administrator of the Kiev Hermitage-St. Nicholas Monastery.
St. Sylvester retired in 1906 and went on to live a secluded life, leaving his cell only for worship. He celebrated his final Liturgy on the feast of Nativity in 1907. After that, despite his loss of vision, he constantly attended services at the Metropolis center. He reposed in the Lord on the night of November 11-12, 1908.