Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
Apostles, Saints, and Martyrs for the Christian Faith
Feast Day June 29th
On June 29th, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul to honor the two great apostles Peter and Paul. Saint Peter, one of the Twelve and the chief of the Apostles, the Rock upon which Christ built His Church, and Saint Paul “called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God” (Rom. 1:1) and Apostle to the Gentiles. Together they are honored as founders of the Church of Rome, having been separately martyred there during the reign of the Emperor Nero.
“Christian tradition has always considered Saint Peter and Saint Paul to be inseparable: indeed, together, they represent the whole Gospel of Christ.” (Pope Benedict XVI)
Why do Saints Peter and Paul share a feast day?
St. Augustine of Hippo said of Sts. Peter and Paul:
(They) share the same feast day, for these two were one; and even though they suffered on different days, they were as one. Peter went first, and Paul followed. And so we celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles’ blood. Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labors, their sufferings, their preaching, and their confession of faith.
Saint Peter
Who was Saint Peter and why was he important?
Saint Peter was one of Jesus’ original twelve Apostles and the first Pope. Peter was a Jewish fisherman before he was called to be an Apostle. Jesus changed his name from Simon to Peter (“Rock”) and gave Him the keys to the kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 16:19), which is why Saint Peter is often depicted with keys.
How did Jesus call Saint Peter?
Peter was introduced to Jesus by his brother Saint Andrew. We can read about this account in the Gospel of Matthew:
As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. -Matthew 4:18-20
Saint Andrew was the first disciple to be called by Jesus, Peter following after.
Where in the Bible can we read about Saint Peter?
We can read about Saint Peter in the New Testament. Peter is mentioned 109 times in the Gospels, the most of any Apostle, as well as in the Acts of the Apostles, the letters of Paul, and in the two books attributed to him, 1 & 2 Peter.
Did Jesus change Saint Peter’s name?
Jesus did change Saint Peter’s name from Simon to Peter. He is also sometimes called by both, Simon Peter. The changing of a person’s name had great significance. God called Abram and named him Abraham, as well as his wife Sarai, naming her Sarah. Jacob was likewise call Israel. These were all founding events connected to Old Covenant and of great significance in salvation history. The same is true of the re-naming of Simon. Matthew shares his account of the event in Matthew 16:17-19.
And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Why did Jesus call Peter a “rock”?
As recorded in the canonical Greek text of Matthew, Jesus changed Simon’s name to Petros (Rock). It is likely that He actually did so in Aramaic, the everyday Semitic language of Jews of his time, in which case the Lord said Cephas (Rock). This name is actually cited by St. John in Jn 1:42, and 8 other places in the New Testament. He did this in Caesarea Philippi, where there is a massive outcropping of rock at the base of Mt. Hermon, the highest peak of the region.
This naming is followed in Matthew’s text by the reason: the Church would be built on Peter. He is then given the Keys of David, as a king would give his appointed Vizier, in order to exercise authority in his place. It is just such vicarious authority which the Church claims for St. Peter and His Successors, down to Pope Francis.
Why did Peter deny Jesus three times?
When Jesus was arrested on Good Friday, He was taken to the Sanhedrin. Saint Peter was the only Apostle that went there to be close to Him. The others did not go, most likely out of fear. Peter was probably afraid too, yet He couldn’t stay away from His Lord. We learn of this account in the Gospel of Matthew:
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a maid came up to him, and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” And when he went out to the porch, another maid saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.” After a little while, the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the cock crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
Like us, Peter was human. Even though he was a devout follower of Jesus, in a moment of fear and weakness, he was tempted and made a wrong choice. We know he regretted it immediately after because of the way we read that he “remembered the saying of Jesus,” and how he went out and wept bitterly.
How did Saint Peter die?
Saint Peter was crucified in Nero’s circus on Vatican Hill, sometime between 64 and 68 A.D.. He was crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to die the same way as his Lord. Afterwards he was laid to rest in a nearby cemetery. That cemetery can be seen today in excavations under St. Peter’s Basilica, and the remains of a 2nd century shrine built over the burial spot. In the 1960s bones believed to be Peter’s were found preserved in its wall and today the box containing them can be seen in a chapel under the papal altar.
“Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” – St. Peter, John 6:68-69
Was Saint Peter the first Pope?
Christ Himself appointed Saint Peter as the chief of the Apostles. Ever since then, there has been an unbroken transmission of spiritual authority to Peter’s successors in Rome. They, in turn, lead the bishops (successors of the other Apostles), and thus the whole People of God. This is called apostolic succession, and it is the guarantee of the unity of the Catholic Church of every place and time with Christ and the Apostles.
What is Saint Peter the patron saint of?
Saint Peter is the patron saint of fishermen, net makers, and ship builders. Together with Saint Paul, he is also the patron saint of Rome.
Saint Paul
Who was Saint Paul?
Saint Paul (originally known as Saul), was a self-righteous young Pharisee, almost fanatically anti-Christian. When the Resurrected Lord appeared to Him on the road to Damascus, he suddenly converted (Acts 9:1-9). From that point, he went on to evangelize throughout the Mediterranean world from the Holy Land to Rome to Spain. His zeal and reach entitles him to be known as the “Apostle to the Gentiles.” “The Gentiles” means “the nations.” For Jews it meant the non-Jewish people. For the Church it means the non-Jewish unbelievers in Christ – that is, the greater part of mankind of all generations.
Where in the Bible can we read about Saint Paul?
Scriptures on Saint Paul can be found throughout the New Testament of the Bible. We first meet Paul in Scripture at the stoning of Stephen, in Acts 7:58. In Acts St. Luke provides many details of Paul’s ministry, indicating that he accompanied him for much of it.
What did Paul the Apostle write in the Bible?
St. Paul himself was the author of 13 of the 21 epistles in the New Testament, listed here in their canonical order: Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon. Hebrews is sometimes attributed to him, but was likely penned by one of his disciples, in his style and according to his preaching.
Did Jesus change Saint Paul’s name?
St. Paul’s Jewish name was Saul, and the Lord called him by it on the occasion of converting him. It does not appear that the name change can be attributed to Jesus, or at least there is no evidence of it. The likely explanation, therefore, is that it a name he used among the Gentiles, whether from his youth in the Roman city of Tarsus, or, chosen later for his activity among the Gentiles. The only comment Luke makes is in Acts 13:9, when he writes “But Saul, who is also called Paul …”
What is Saint Paul mostly known for?
St. Paul is one of the greatest saints of the early Church, most recognized for his conversion. Before being called by Christ, he was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a fervent enemy of Christ. Paul’s conversion was a pure miracle of God’s grace. He is a perfect example of true conversion. He had dedicated himself to persecuting Christians but the moment he met Christ his life changed radically, instantly, and completely. When the Lord called him, he left behind his old ways and became a new person, fully willing to follow Christ and his teaching and precepts.
In commenting on St. Paul’s conversion, Pope Francis said that this conversion story affects all of us because we all “have hardness of heart,” just as Saul did and just like Saul, we are all called to conversion.
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” – St. Paul, Galatians 3:28
Why did Saint Paul convert to Christianity?
St. Paul was converted by Christ Himself by His appearance to him on the road to Damascus. This encounter brought about his dramatic and immediate conversion.
In commenting on the conversion of St. Paul, Pope Benedict XVI states that when Paul met Christ on the road to Damascus, “…it was not simply a conversion… but rather a death and a resurrection for Paul himself. One existence died and another, a new one was born with the Risen Christ.”
When did Saint Paul convert to Christianity?
St. Paul was likely converted in the 30s of the first century A.D.. This follows from the fact that in 1 Cor. 15:8, he speaks of it in connection with Christ’s other post-resurrection appearances, and in the Acts it follows upon his persecution of the Church in Jerusalem and the death of St. Stephen, generally placed before 36 A.D.
Who baptized Saint Paul?
In Acts 9, we learn that Ananias baptized Paul.
So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his e and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized, and took food and was strengthened.
-Acts 9:17-19
Was Saint Paul one of the twelve Apostles?
Paul was not one of the 12 Apostles selected by Jesus during His public ministry. However, he was called personally by the Lord, and the manner of his call made Paul a witness of Christ’s Resurrection – a principal criterion for being an Apostle (Acts 1:22). Pope Benedict XVI wrote that some have thus called him the “13th Apostle.”
There is an interesting parallel with events in the life of God’s people Israel. Joseph’s twelfth-share is his father Jacob’s inheritance was given by Jacob to Joseph’s two sons, Manassas and Benjamin, and on an equal basis with Joseph’s eleven brothers. Thus, the land of Canaan was divided among thirteen tribes, not just the original twelve. Similarly, in the new covenant there are 13 Apostles, the Eleven plus two––Matthias (chosen by the Church), and Paul (chosen by Christ).
What is Saint Paul the patron saint of?
Saint Paul is one of many patron saints of missionaries, evangelists, writers, and public workers.
How did Saint Paul die?
Tradition holds that Saint Paul was martyred in Rome, probably about 64 AD. This was the year of the great fire, blamed on the Christians, but likely set by order of Nero. The church commemorating his death is called the Church of the Martyrdom of St. Paul at Three Fountains. The name is a reference to the result of the manner of his death. Being from Tarsus Paul was a Roman citizen, so he was beheaded rather than crucified. His head, bouncing three times, brought forth three springs, still existing.
Why are Saints Peter and Paul called the patron saints of Rome?
Peter and Paul are called the patron saints of Rome because, in the words of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, “the Christian community of [Rome] considered them a kind of counterbalance to the mythical Romulus and Remus, the two brothers held to be the founders of Rome.” Saints Peter and Paul were central to the foundation and advancement of the early Church, thus it is fitting that they would be the patron saints of Rome.
HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter’s Basilica
Tuesday, 29 June 2021
Two great Apostles of the Gospel and two pillars of the Church: Peter and Paul. Today we celebrate their memory. Let us take a closer look at these two witnesses of faith. At the heart of their story is not their own gifts and abilities; at the centre is the encounter with Christ that changed their lives. They experienced a love that healed them and set them free. They then became apostles and ministers of freedom for others.
Peter and Paul were free because they were set free. Let us reflect on this central point.
Peter, the fisherman from Galilee, was set free above all from his sense of inadequacy and his bitter experience of failure, thanks to the unconditional love of Jesus. Although a skilled fisher, many times, in the heart of the night, he tasted the bitterness of frustration at having caught nothing (cf. Lk 5:5; Jn 21:5) and, seeing his empty nets, was tempted to pull up his oars. Though strong and impetuous, Peter often yielded to fear (cf. Mt 14:30). Albeit a fervent disciple of the Lord, he continued to think by worldly standards, and thus failed to understand and accept the meaning of Christ’s cross (cf. Mt 16:22). Even after saying that he was ready to give his life for Jesus, the mere suspicion that he was one of Christ’s disciples led him in fright to deny the Master (cf. Mk 14:66-72).
Jesus nonetheless loved Peter and was willing to take a risk on him. He encouraged Peter not to give up, to lower his nets once more, to walk on water, to find the strength to accept his own frailty, to follow him on the way of the cross, to give his life for his brothers and sisters, to shepherd his flock. In this way, Jesus set Peter free from fear, from calculations based solely on worldly concerns. He gave him the courage to risk everything and the joy of becoming a fisher of men. It was Peter whom Jesus called to strengthen his brothers in faith (cf. Lk 22:32). He gave him – as we heard in the Gospel – the keys to open the doors leading to an encounter with the Lord and the power to bind and loose: to bind his brothers and sisters to Christ and to loosen the knots and chains in their lives (cf. Mt 16:19).
All that was possible only because – as we heard in the first reading – Peter himself had been set free. The chains that held him prisoner were shattered and, as on the night when the Israelites were set free from bondage in Egypt, he was told to arise in haste, fasten his belt and put on his sandals in order to go forth. The Lord then opened the doors before him (cf. Acts 12:7-10). Here we see a new history of opening, liberation, broken chains, exodus from the house of bondage. Peter had a Passover experience: the Lord set him free.
The Apostle Paul also experienced the freedom brought by Christ. He was set free from the most oppressive form of slavery, which is slavery to self. From Saul, the name of the first king of Israel, he became Paul, which means “small”. He was also set free from the religious fervour that had made him a zealous defender of his ancestral traditions (cf. Gal 1:14) and a cruel persecutor of Christians. Set free. Formal religious observance and the intransigent defence of tradition, rather than making him open to the love of God and of his brothers and sisters, had hardened him: he was a fundamentalist. God set him free from this, yet he did not spare him the frailties and hardships that rendered his mission of evangelization more fruitful: the strain of the apostolate, physical infirmity (cf. Gal 4:13-14); violence and persecution, shipwreck, hunger and thirst, and, as he himself tells us, a painful thorn in the flesh (cf. 2 Cor 12:7-10).
Paul thus came to realize that “God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (1 Cor 1:27), that we can do all things through him who strengthens us (cf. Phil 4:13), and that nothing can ever separate us from his love (cf. Rom 8:35-39). For this reason, at the end of his life – as we heard in the second reading – Paul was able to say: “the Lord stood by me” and “he will rescue me from every evil attack” (2 Tim 4:17). Paul had a Passover experience: the Lord set him free.
Dear brothers and sisters, the Church looks to these two giants of faith and sees two Apostles who set free the power of the Gospel in our world, only because first they themselves had been set free by their encounter with Christ. Jesus did not judge them or humiliate them. Instead, he shared their life with affection and closeness. He supported them by his prayer, and even at times reproached them to make them change. To Peter, Jesus gently says: “I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail” (Lk 22:32). And to Paul: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4). He does the same with us: he assures us of his closeness by praying and interceding for us before the Father, and gently reproaching us whenever we go astray, so that we can find the strength to arise and resume the journey.
We too have been touched by the Lord; we too have been set free. Yet we need to be set free time and time again, for only a free Church is a credible Church. Like Peter, we are called to be set free from a sense of failure before our occasionally disastrous fishing. To be set free from the fear that paralyzes us, makes us seek refuge in our own securities, and robs us of the courage of prophecy. Like Paul, we are called to be set free from hypocritical outward show, free from the temptation to present ourselves with worldly power rather than with the weakness that makes space for God, free from a religiosity that makes us rigid and inflexible; free from dubious associations with power and from the fear of being misunderstood and attacked.
Peter and Paul bequeath to us the image of a Church entrusted to our hands, yet guided by the Lord with fidelity and tender love, for it is he who guides the Church. A Church that is weak, yet finds strength in the presence of God. The image of a Church set free and capable of offering the world the freedom that the world by itself cannot give: freedom from sin and death, from resignation, and from the sense of injustice and the loss of hope that dehumanizes the lives of the women and men of our time.
Let us ask, today in this celebration but afterwards as well: to what extent do our cities, our societies and our world need freedom? How many chains must be shattered and how many doors long shut must be opened! We can help bring this freedom, but only if we first let ourselves be set free by the newness of Jesus, and walk in the freedom of the Holy Spirit.
Today our brother Archbishops receive the pallium. This sign of unity with Peter recalls the mission of the shepherd who gives his life for the flock. It is in giving his life that the shepherd, himself set free, becomes a means of bringing freedom to his brothers and sisters. Today, too, we are joined by a Delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, sent for this occasion by our dear brother Bartholomew. Your welcome presence is a precious sign of unity on our journey of freedom from the distances that scandalously separate believers in Christ. Thank you for your presence.
We pray for you, for all Pastors, for the Church and for all of us: that, set free by Christ, we may be apostles of freedom throughout the world.
The origins of the Feast of Saint Peter and Paul in Rome
VIDEOS ABOUT STS. PETER AND PAUL
References:
1) https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/seasons-and-feast-days/sts-peter-and-paul-24046
3) Words of Wisdom from Saints Peter and Paul eBook – EWTN.COM