The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul

Every year, on 29 June, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, two of the greatest figures of Christianity. This major liturgical feast unites two apostles with very different backgrounds, but whom God chose to found his Church and spread the Gospel at the very heart of the Roman Empire. Their witness of faith, even to the point of martyrdom, is a source of inspiration for Christians the world over.

Saint Peter, the rock of the Church

Peter, whose real name was Simon, was a simple fisherman from Galilee when he met Jesus. It was Jesus himself who gave him the name Peter ("Cephas" in Aramaic, meaning "rock"), and entrusted him with a unique mission: "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church" (Matthew 16:18). Despite his human weaknesses - notably his denial at the Passion - Peter was chosen to be the first of the apostles, the shepherd of Christ's flock, the first pope of the Church.

After the Resurrection, Peter took on a central role in the first Christian community in Jerusalem, then left to evangelise other regions. He finally settled in Rome, where he guided the young local Church and where he was crucified under the Emperor Nero, around the year 64. According to tradition, he asked to be crucified upside down, as he did not feel worthy to die like his Master. Today, St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican stands on the presumed site of his tomb.

St Paul, the apostle to the nations

Paul, for his part, did not know Christ during his earthly life. He was initially a fierce persecutor of Christians, named Saul, when he had a dazzling revelation on the road to Damascus: the risen Christ appeared to him and radically changed his life. From persecutor, he became a missionary, travelling tirelessly throughout the Roman Empire to proclaim the Good News to the pagans. He wrote many letters (or epistles), which form an essential part of the New Testament.

Paul was not one of the Twelve, but he was recognised as an apostle by the early Church because of his zeal and his direct call from Christ. Like Peter, Paul ended his life in Rome, where he was beheaded, probably on the same day as Peter, but as a Roman citizen he benefited from a less cruel method of execution.

A feast that unites the Church

To celebrate Peter and Paul together is to celebrate the unity and complementary nature of the Church. Peter embodies the structure, tradition and fidelity to Christ in the visible Church. Paul embodies missionary impetus, openness and the power of grace to transform lives. Together, they represent the two pillars on which the Church was built: faith received and transmitted, and faith lived and shared.

In Rome, this solemnity gives rise to special celebrations. The Pope celebrates a solemn Mass in St Peter's Basilica, during which he blesses the palliums - strips of white wool - intended for the new metropolitan archbishops around the world, symbolising their communion with Peter's successor.

Outside Rome, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul is also a patronal feast in many countries, dioceses or villages that bear their names. It reminds the faithful of the importance of proclaiming the Gospel, serving the Church and promoting Christian unity.