OUR PATRON SAINT

Saint Peter, originally named Simon from the town of Bethsaida, became a fisherman and worked and lived in Capernaum. It was in Capernaum where the primacy of Peter took place, when Jesus walking along the shore of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew, called to them, “Come, and I will make you fishers of men.” Although some what irresolute in character, Peter’s love and enthusiasm for Christ, coupled with his faith and fidelity resulted in Jesus showering him with many gifts. It was Peter’s confession of faith, “Thou art the Christ, son of the living God,” that Jesus from that point on declared, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock shall be built My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Peter’s ministry, which took him to many places in Asia Minor and eventually to Rome where he met a martyr’s death, left us with his writings in the New Testament Epistles I & II.

Peter and his brother Andrew together, upon hearing Christ’s call to them to be “fishers of men,” dropped everything at once and began to follow Jesus. It was not long after this event that Peter witnessed Jesus cure his mother in law of a fever, the first of many miracles he was to witness. Other miracles include the raising of Jairus’s daughter from the dead, the miracle of the loaves and fish, Jesus walking on water and the Transfiguration. Peter remained close to Jesus, carefully listening, watching, questioning, learning, sometimes failing in perfect faith, but in the end full of strength and thoroughly prepared for his own years of missionary preaching.

About two years after the Ascension of Jesus, the spread of the new religion, Christianity, brought on persecutions that culminated into the martyrdom of St. Stephen, resulting in many of the converts going into hiding. The Apostles stood their ground firmly in Jerusalem, where the Jewish people had become the spearhead of opposition to them. Peter decided to preach in outlying villages and in farther locations. In Samaria where Peter performed miracles and preached, he was offered money by Simon Magus, the magician, if he would share with him the secret of his occult powers. Peter rebuked the magician sternly, saying “Keep thy money to thyself, to perish with thee, because thou has thought that the gift of God may be purchased by money.”

With Peter’s vigorous outspokenness, he crossed paths with the Jewish authorities, who twice arrested him. After Peter’s deliverance from prison by an angel, he left Jerusalem and began his apostolic journeys. Peter now free of his prison chains miraculously appeared with the other apostles who were astonished to see him. Peter then began to preach in the seaports of Joppa and Lydda, where he met men of many races and in Caesarea, where he converted the first Gentile, Cornelius. Realizing that the new religion must win its greatest support from the Gentiles, Peter helped shape the early policy toward them. Eventually he traveled to See of Antioch where he became bishop. Peter’s last years were in the See of Rome, where he was martyred, by crucifixion upside down, as Peter himself so desired.

Saint Peter left us with his writings in the New Testament Epistles I & II. The first Epistle is filled with admonitions to mutual helpfulness, charity and humility and in general outlines the duties of Christians in all aspects of life. The second Epistle warns against false teachings, speaks of the Second Coming of the Lord, and ends with a beautiful doxology, “But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and the day of eternity.” Saint Peter was buried at the foot of Vatican Hill near the Via Cornelia at the beginning of the Valerian persecution. Peter’s remains, together with that of St. Paul’s, were moved to where the Church of St. Sebastian now stands. It was Constantine the Great, who restored the remains to their original location and built a basilica over the grave, which was eventually replaced with the current St. Peter’s Basilica. The feast of Saint Peter is June 29. Dedication of the Chair of St. Peter is January 18. Emblems include a boat, keys and a rooster.