St Peter

Apostle and Evangelist
Feast day June 29th

Simon was a native of Bethsaida, near Lake Tiberias, the son of John. Simon settled in Capharnaum and worked, like his brother St. Andrew, as a fisherman on Lake Genesareth.

Like so many, Simon was attracted to John the Baptist by his preaching of penance and was, along with his brother Andrew, among John's followers. After John pointed to Jesus who was passing by, said "Behold the Lamb of God", Andrew and another followed the Saviour to his residence and remained with Him for the day. Later, meeting his brother, Simon, Andrew said "We have found the Messiah", and brought Simon to meet Jesus.

Jesus looked at Simon and said, “You are Simon, son of John. You shall be called Cephas.” (John1:40-42). ("Cephas" is Aramaic for rock while "Peter" is the Greek word.) From then on, Simon became known as Peter, or at times Simon Peter.

Simon Peter was married, because later we learn that Jesus visited the house where his mother-in-law was suffering from a fever, and cured her. This was the first cure witnessed by Peter.

After the miracle of the loaves and fishes, Jesus withdrew to the mountain to pray, and his disciples started to sail home across the Lake of Galilee. Suddenly they saw Him walking on the water, and, it was Peter who said, "Lord, if it is Thou, bid me come to Thee over the water." Peter set out confidently walking across the water, but suddenly grew afraid and began to sink and called out to the Lord to save him. Jesus stretched forth His hand, saying, "O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?"

After becoming a disciple of Jesus, Peter was the first to acknowledge Him as "... the Messiah, the son of the living God”. (Matthew xvi, 13-18; Mark viii, 27-29; Luke ix, 18-20.) Christ responded by saying: "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock shall be built My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." He added: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.

He was selected, with James and John, to accompany Jesus to the mountain, the scene of the Transfiguration, to be given a glimpse of His glory, and there he heard God pronounce the words, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

When Jesus told his disciples that all of them would abandon him according to the scriptures, Peter said, “Even if everyone else abandons you, I never will.” (Matthew 26:33). But, of course, we know that Peter did deny knowing Christ three times in the courtyard of the High Priest. When Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter wept bitterly.

After the Resurrection, the first appearance of the Risen Christ was before Peter, ahead of the other disciples. Later, when the Lord came before the disciples at Tiberias, this exchange took place:

“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than the other disciples do?”

Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

“Feed my sheep.”

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

“Tend my sheep.”

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter said to him, “Lord, You know everything. You know that I love you.”

“Feed my sheep."

"I can guarantee this truth: When you were young, you would get ready to go where you want. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will get you ready to take you where you don’t want to go."

(John, xxi, 15-17)

Some believe that Christ was gently rebuking Peter, paralleling the three times that Peter had denied knowing Him in the courtyard of the High Priest. Its also believed that in this passage, Jesus told Peter where his faith and loyalty would lead him - to a martyr’s death.

After the descent of the Holy Spirit on the feast of Pentecost, Peter delivered the first public sermon to proclaim the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and won a large number of Jews as converts to the Christian community. Peter was the first Apostle to perform miracles in the name of the Lord by curing a lame begger. Its recorded that the people of Jerusalem and neighbouring towns carried their sick in their beds into the streets so that the shadow of Peter might fall on them and they might be healed.

Peter was instrumental in bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles. He baptized the Roman pagan Cornelius, and at the Council of Jerusalem he gave his support to preaching to Gentiles, thereby permitting the new Church to become universal. Imprisoned by King Herod Agrippa, he was aided in an escape by an angel. He then resumed his work in Jerusalem and his missionary efforts included travels to Antioch, Corinth, and eventually Rome.

It is fairly certain that Peter died in Rome and that his martyrdom came during the reign of Emperor Nero, probably in 67. When the fierce persecution of Christians began, the belivers begged Peter to leave Rome and save himself. It is said that he actually started out, but on the road he met Jesus. Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered, "I am coming to be crucified a second time." St. Peter realized that this vision meant that he was to suffer and die for Jesus, so he turned around and went back. Soon after, he was taken prisoner and condemned to death. Because he was not a Roman citizen, he, like Jesus, could be crucified. Peter asked to be crucified with his head downward since he felt that he was not worthy to suffer as Jesus had. Simon Peter was buried on Vatican Hill.

Constantine the Great had a magnificent basilica erected over the grave of St. Peter. This basilica was replaced by the present St. Peter's in the sixteenth century. Excavations under St. Peter’s Basilica unearthed his probable tomb, and his relics are now enshrined under the high altar of St. Peter’s.

In our window, Saint Peter, traditionally dressed in gold, is holding keys which represent the "Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven" given to him by Jesus.