Pope Silverius

His rapid rise to prominence from a deacon to the papacy coincided with the efforts of Ostrogothic king Theodahad (nephew to Theodoric the Great), who intended to install a pro-Gothic candidate just before the Gothic War.

Historian Jeffrey Richards interprets his low rank prior to becoming pope as an indication that Theodahad was eager to put a pro-Gothic candidate on the throne on the eve of the Gothic War and "had passed over the entire diaconate as untrustworthy".

Theodahad's successor Witiges gathered together an army and besieged Rome for several months, subjecting the city to privation and starvation.

[6] The fullest account is in the Breviarium of Liberatus of Carthage, who portrays Vigilius "as a greedy and treacherous pro-Monophysite who ousted and virtually murdered his predecessor."

In exchange for being made Pope, Liberatus claims he promised Empress Theodora to restore the former patriarch of Constantinople, Anthimus, to his position.

From there, they celebrated the Festival of San Silverio at Our Lady of Pity Church on 151st Street and Morris Avenue, just as they had for centuries, calling on him for help.

Offering yearly novenas, and a traditional feast on 20 June, devotees gather in Saint Clare of Assisi Church for a Mass, followed by a procession throughout the neighborhood.

The San Silverio Committee of Morris Park have offered their talents to the parish of Saint Clare's for many years, designing and building a 30-foot Neapolitan crèche at Christmas, and erecting a tomb for the Easter season.

Adding to the feast of San Silverio, the committee honors Saint Anthony and the Immaculate Conception with novenas, Mass and procession.

The neighborhood has seen changes in recent years but is still populated with Italian restaurants and food stores, where the festival continues to unify the community.