Sts. Peter/Paul

This is the day set aside to honor the holy Apostles Peter and Paul. We know that Peter is the head of the Church on earth; however, protestants seem to think that Paul should have been the first leader of the Church. They'll never get it; the Church had been in existence for many years before Paul showed up to persecute those pesky Christians, or Nazareans, or whatever the non-believers called them. After his conversion, it was still a long time before Paul even saw Peter. He knew that Peter was the head. He even had the audacity to rebuke Peter on his statements that only circumcised people could be saved. This was and is wrong, Peter recanted, and this problem was settled. (See, if Paul could rebuke the head of the Church, we should rebuke those, even leaders, who are wrong. Make sure you have the facts straight, though.) These two were martyred on the same day, the 29th of June, in Rome in the year 67A.D. Peter was crucified like Christ. However, since he didn't want to be crucified exactly like Christ, he asked his executioners to be placed upside down. He was. Paul, being a Roman citizen, was beheaded.   Paul, as he was led along the Ostian Way, was also followed by a group of the Faithful who mingled with the escort of the condemned. His sentence was that he should be beheaded at the Salvian Waters. A two miles' march brought the soldiers to a path leading eastwards, by which they led their prisoner to the place fixed upon for the martyrdom of this, the Doctor of the Gentiles. Paul fell on his knees, addressing his last prayer to God; then having bandaged his eyes, he awaited the death stroke. A soldier brandished his sword, and the Apostle's head, as it was severed from the trunk, made three bounds along the ground; three fountains immediately sprang up on these several spots. Such is the local tradition; and to this day, three fountains are to be seen on the site of his martyrdom, over each of which an altar is raised.

These two are the pillars of the early Church, and we should emulate them.


Saint Augustine of Hippo
Early Church Father & Doctor of the Church

Peter and Paul - June 29. This piece on Sts. Peter and Paul is an excerpt from a sermon (Sermo 295, 1-2, 4, 7-8; PL 38, 1348-1352) by St. Augustine, bishop of Hippo, who died in the year 430AD. It is used in the Roman Office of Readings for the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29 and shows that as early as the fourth century, Christians celebrated this day in honor of these two apostles and martyrs who laid down their lives for Christ in the Eternal City.


'This day has been consecrated for us by the martyrdom of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul. It is not some obscure martyrs we are talking about. "Their sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world" (Psalm 19). These martyrs had seen what they proclaimed, they pursued justice by confessing the truth, by dying for the truth.


The blessed Peter, the first of the Apostles, the ardent lover of Christ, who was found worthy to hear, "And I say to you, that you are Peter" (Matthew 16:13-20). He himself, you see, had just said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Christ said to him, "And I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church." Upon this rock I will build the faith you have just confessed. Upon your words, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," I will build my Church; because you are Peter. Peter comes from petra, meaning a rock. Peter, Peter comes from the word for a rock in exactly the same way as the name Christian comes from Christ.


Before his passion the Lord Jesus, as you know, chose those disciples of his whom he called apostles. Among these it was only Peter who almost everywhere was given the privilege of representing the whole Church. It was in the person of the whole Church, which he alone represented, that he was privileged to hear, "To you will I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven." After all, it is not just one man that received these keys, but the Church in its unity. So this is the reason for Peter’s acknowledged pre-eminence, that he stood for the Church’s universality and unity, when he was told, "To you I am entrusting," what has in fact been entrusted to all. To show you that it is the Church which has received the keys of the kingdom of heaven, listen to what the Lord says in another place to all his apostles: "Receive the Holy Spirit"; and immediately afterwards: "Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven them; whose sins you retain, they will be retained" (John 20:22-23).


Quite rightly, too, did the Lord after his resurrection entrust his sheep to Peter to be fed (Jn. 21: 15-19). It is not, you see, that he alone among the disciples was fit to feed the Lord’s sheep; but when Christ speaks to one man, unity is being commended to us. And he first speaks to Peter, because Peter is the first among the apostles. Do not be sad, Apostle. Answer once, answer again, answer a third time. Let confession conquer three times with love, because self-assurance was conquered three times by fear. What you had bound three times must be loosed three times. Loose through love what you had bound through fear. And for all that, the Lord once, and again, and a third time, entrusted his sheep to Peter.


There is one day for the passion of two apostles. But these two also were as one; although they suffered in different ways, they were as one. Peter went first, Paul followed. We are celebrating a feast day, consecrated for us by the blood of the apostles. Let us love their Faith, their lives, their labors, their sufferings, their confession of faith, their preaching.'


When the time in Rome was all for killing these Christians, Peter's followers urged him to flee the city, at least for a while. According to St. Ambrose, Peter set out along the Appian Way. Just as he reached the Capuan gate, Christ suddenly appeared to him as if about to enter the city. 'Lord, whither goest thou?' cried out the Apostle. Christ replied: "to Rome, to be there crucified again." Peter understood his Master; he at once retracted his steps, having now no thought but to await his hour of martyrdom.

According to Abbot Gueranger, Peter started to set everything in order, because he now knew his time was short. He laid his hands on Clement, whose nobility of birth recommended him to the consideration of the Romans, while at the same time his zeal and learning merited the esteem of the faithful, was the one on whom the prince of the Apostles fixed his choice. Clement, then, is the first successor of Peter. His name is mentioned in Paul's letters, as well as in the Mass.

After the Church had been established for years, this was when Paul was converted; he went around and reaffirmed the Faith who had already been converted. Protestants don't know any history. They don't realize that the Church had been around way before Paul came along. He had been a persecutor of these same believers, so the Church must have already been established. DUH! Like all the saints say: 'if anyone were to read history and realize it, they would be streaming to Rome, where Christ's Church was and is today.'  (And ,by the way, to you protestants, whenever the Apostles are listed in Scripture, Peter's name is ALWAYS listed first.  But, however, in our Mass when the Apostles are listed, Paul's name is second.)

(But, they still do not bow to the Holy, Roman, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, because they think it is the whore of Babylon! IDIOTS! Hopefully they will find out and convert before they croak.)


The following hymn was written by a Sicilian woman named Elpis, concerning the two great Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul. The last part is attributed to St. Paulinus of Aquileia, and added by St. Pius V:

Lo! beauteous light eternal floods with sacred fires this golden day, which crowns the princes of Apostles and opens out unto the guilty a free path to heaven.

The teacher of the whole earth, as well as the doorkeeper of heaven, both of them fathers of Rome and judges of nations, each a victor of death, the one by the sword, the other by the cross: laurel-crowned, both take their seats in the senate of eternal life.

O happy Rome, by noble gore of princes twain art thou now consecrated; empurpled by the blood of such as these, thou alone dost surpass in beauty all the rest of the earth.

To the Trinity in Unity that governeth all things through ages of ages, may there be eternal glory, honour, power, and jubilation. Amen.


Here's another prayer, dedicated to these great Saints, for help in times of trouble within the Church. We can surely use their help these days:

Defend, O Lord, thy servants, we beseech thee, from all dangers both of body and soul; and, by the intercession of the blessed and glorious Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, of blessed N., and of all thy saints, mercifully grant us the blessings of peace and safety ; that all adversities and errors being removed, thy Church may freely and securely serve thee; through Christ Our Lord. Amen.


Conclude to give praise and glory to God, for all the graces and glory bestowed upon these two princes and pillars of his Church. Study to learn the great lessons they taught, both by word and work. But especially learn of them the practice of divine love, nothing else can make us saints.