St. Peter the Apostle

Other Names:

Cephas; Prince of the Apostles; Simon

Profile:

Renamed "Peter" (rock) by Jesus to indicate that Peter would be the rock-like foundation on which the Church would be built. Apostle. Bishop. Miracle worker. First Pope. Brother of Saint Andrew the Apostle who led him to Christ. Fisherman.

Feast Days:

29 June (feast of Peter and Paul)
22 February (feast of the Chair of Peter, emblematic of the world unity of the Church)
18 November (feast of the dedication of the Basilicas of Peter and Paul)

Died:

martyred c.64 crucified head downward because he claimed he was not worthy to die in the same manner as Christ

Patronage:

against frenzy; bakers; bridge builders; butchers; clock makers; cobblers;feet problems; fever; fishermen; foot problems; harvesters; locksmiths; longevity; masons; net makers; Popes; papacy; ship builders; shipwrights; shoemakers; stone masons; watch makers;

diocese of Jackson, Mississippi; diocese of Las Vegas, Nevada; diocese of Marquette, Michigan; archdiocese of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania; diocese of Providence, Rhode Island; diocese of Calbayog, Philippines; archdiocese of Davao, Philippines; diocese of Maralal, Kenya;

Chartres, France; Cologne, Germany; Corbie Abbey; Exeter College Oxford; Dunajská Streda, Slovakia; Bath Abbey; Berchtesgaden Abbey; Bremen, Germany; Köpenick, Germany; Lessines, Belgium; Leuven, Belgium; Moissac, France; Naumburg, Germany; Obermarsberg, Germany; Poznan Poland; Regensburg, Germany; Rome; Saint Petersburg, Russia; Sint Pieters Rode, Belgium; Toa Baja, Puerto Rico; Umbria, Italy; Universal Church; Worms, Germany

Prayer:

O Glorious Saint Peter, because of your vibrant and generous faith, sincere humility and flaming love our Lord honored you with singular privileges and especially leadership of the whole Church. Obtain for us the grace of a living faith, a sincere loyalty to the Church, acceptance of all her teaching, and obedience to all her precepts. Let us thus enjoy an undisturbed peace on earth and everlasting happiness in heaven.

Readings:

Out of the whole world one man, Peter, is chosen to preside at the of all nations and to be set over all the apostles and all the fathers of the church. Though there are in God's people many bishops and many shepherds, Peter is thus appointed to rule in his own person those whom Christ also rules as the original ruler. Beloved, how great and wonderful is this sharing in his power that God in his goodness has given to this man. Whatever Christ has willed ot be shared in common by Peter and the other leaders of the Church, it is only through Peter that he has given to others what he has not refused to bestow on them.

Jesus said: "Upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." On this strong foundation, he says, I will build an everlasting temple. The great height of my Church, which is to penetrate the heavens, shall rise on the firm foundation of this faith.

Blessed Peter is therefore told: "To you I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven. Whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven."
(from a sermon by Pope Saint Leo the Great)

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