Saint Peter

Pope Saint Apostle Peter
Apostle, Pope, Patriarch, and Martyr
Saint Peter (c. 1468) by Marco Zoppo, depicting Peter holding the Keys of Heaven and a book representing the gospel
Church	Early Christian Great Church
See	First bishop of Rome (pope), according to Catholic tradition First bishop of Antioch (patriarch), according to Eastern Christian tradition
Installed	AD 30[1]
Term ended	between AD 64 and 68[2]
Successor	Bishop of Rome (according to tradition): Linus Bishop of Antioch (according to tradition): Evodius
Orders
Ordination	AD 33 by Jesus Christ
Personal details
Birth name	Shimon (Simeon, Simon)
Born	c. AD 1 Bethsaida, Gaulanitis, Syria, Roman Empire
Died	between AD 64 and 68 (aged 62–67) Rome, Roman Empire[3][4]
Parents	John (or Jonah; Jona)
Occupation	Fisherman, clergyman
Sainthood
Feast day	Main feast (with Paul the Apostle) 29 June (Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, Lutheranism) 18 January - Confession of Saint Peter (Anglicanism) 22 February - Chair of Saint Peter (Catholic Church)
Venerated in	All Christian denominations that venerate saints, Islam
Canonized	Pre-Congregation
Attributes	Keys of Heaven, Red Martyr, pallium, papal vestments, rooster, man crucified upside down, vested as an Apostle, holding a book or scroll, Cross of Saint Peter. Iconographically, he is depicted with a bushy white beard and white hair.
Patronage	Patronage list
Shrines	St. Peter's Basilica

Saint Peter (Greek: Πετρος, "rock")^[5] also called Simon (Kephas) Peter is one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. He is often talked about in the New Testament of the Bible across the different Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).^[6] Most of what we know about Peter comes from the Bible. In the Gospel it is written that Jesus Christ would make Peter the "rock" (foundation) of the Church (Gospel of Matthew 16:18, you are Peter (rock), and upon this rock I will build my church).

It is not known when Peter was born. But the date of his real death is said to be about the year 64 AD. He died by being nailed to a cross in Rome. This type of death is called crucifixion. According to the apocryphal Acts of Peter, Peter asked to be crucified upside down, as he felt unworthy to die as Jesus did. Most historical sources only say he was crucified this way.

The historical accuracy of the accounts of Peter's role in Rome is a matter of ongoing debate.^[7][8][9]

Paintings from later centuries often show him holding the keys to the kingdom of heaven (interpreted by Roman Catholics as the sign of his primacy over the Church), a reference to Matthew 16:19.

Peter was married according to the gospel of Mark. The name of his wife is unknown.

1. ↑ O'Connor, Daniel William (2013). "Saint Peter the Apostle". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. p. 5. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
2. ↑ "Catholic Encyclopedia : St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles". www.newadvent.org.
3. ↑ McDowell, Sean (2016). The Fate of the Apostles: Examining the Martyrdom Accounts of the Closest Followers of Jesus. Routledge. p. 57. ISBN 9781317031901.
4. ↑ Siecienski, A. Edward (2017). The Papacy and the Orthodox: Sources and History of a Debate. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190650926. scholarship largely came to accept Peter's death in Rome "as a fact which is relatively, although not absolutely, assured." While a select few were willing to make this judgment definitive
5. ↑ Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985.
6. ↑ "Saint Peter". Twinkl. 28 March 2010. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
7. ↑ Ehrman, Bart D.: Peter, Paul, And Mary Magdalene: The Followers of Jesus in History And Legend, Chapter 6, Oxford University Press US, 2006, ISBN 0-19-530013-0
8. ↑ Keating, Karl: Catholicism and fundamentalism: The attack on "romanism" by "Bible Christians", Chapter 17, Ignatius Press, 1988, ISBN 0-89870-177-5
9. ↑ Perkins, Pheme: Peter: Apostle for the Whole Church, Continuum International Publishing Group, 2000, ISBN 0-567-08743-3