Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.

Hi saint Gang…. Today is a biggie. It is the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. After sacramental confession and Holy Communion and a prayer for the intentions of the Pope, a plenary indulgence can be obtained on the 29th of June every year if you pray using an item of devotion blessed by a bishop. Check out information on the importance of indulgences at this classic rant of mine here.

Peter and Paul did not always see eye to eye on everything. Even with this, the early church fathers and the Bible acknowledge that Paul (and James) recognized Peter as the Supreme head of “The Way.” In fact the supremacy of Saint Peter and his successors did not become a real problem until the flatulent Martin Luther pushed his bushwah on a bunch of illiterate German Princes.

Peter and Paul both probably died in the first wave of persecutions called the First Martyrs of Rome whose feast is, collectively, celebrated tomorrow.

Peter the Apostle
Also known as
Cephas; Kepha; Prince of the Apostles; Simeon; Simon bar Jonah; Simon ben Jonah; Simon Peter

Profile

Our first saint today was a fisherman and brother of Saint Andrew the Apostle. He was probably an impulsive hothead and stubborn guy as some stories in the scripture relate. His human weaknesses and imperfections should serve as a lesson to us all, God doesn’t expect us to be perfect; he loves us anyway…..

Pious legend says he felt he did not deserve to meet his martyrdom in the same way as Jesus so he requested to be crucified upside down.

His tomb is right below the altar at Saint Peter’s Basilica, His skeleton is in the catacombs below and is missing the feet below the ankles. How would a Roman Soldier cut a peasant down who just died on the cross hung upside down?

Discovered in 1941 during excavations of Vatican Hill, there is an ancient graffito on a wall near the bones that says Petrus roga Christus Iesus pro sanctis hominibus Chrestianis ad corpus tuum sepultis ("Peter, pray Jesus Christ for the holy men buried near your body"). For the first time evidence pointed to the presence of Peter's remains in the vicinity. In 2019, I made a pilgrimage to Rome with the Whip and my lovely daughter Karen. The Whip and I went on a “Scavi” tour of the archeological finds below St Peter’s Basilica. The guide was one of the archeologists, it was fascinating. Anyhoo when the guide found out I was a Deacon, he asked me to lead a prayer in front of St Peter’s bones….

Born
as Simon
Died
martyred c.64 crucified head downward.
Name Meaning
rock

Patronage
against frenzy; bakers; bridge builders; butchers; clock makers; cobblers; feet problems; fever; fishermen; harvesters; diocese of Las Vegas, Nevada; locksmiths; longevity; masons; net makers; papacy; Popes; Rome; Saint Petersburg, Russia; ship builders; shipwrights; shoemakers; stone masons; watch makers;

Paul the Apostle
Profile

Paul was a Pharisee and a Tent-maker by trade. He was born Saul and hated and persecuted Christians as heretical, even assisting at the stoning of Saint Stephen the First Deacon and Martyr

His conversion story is well documented in Acts of the Apostles. He was entrusted to be the Apostle to the Gentiles…he was NOT one of the 12 original Apostles though. Paul was so distrusted by the Apostles it took Barnabas to speak to them for Paul to convince the 12 that Paul was now truly one of them. His letter to the Thessalonians is probably the earliest New Testament writing in the Bible, written less than 20 years after the Resurrection; in perspective the TV Show Friends started their run more than 20 years ago.

As a citizen of Rome he was martyred by beheading rather than crucifixion. This is why he is depicted, in art, holding a sword. Pious legend tells us that when he was beheaded his head bounced three times and wherever it struck the ground a spring of water issued forth. The Abby of three fountains can be seen to this day in Rome.

Born
c.3 as Saul at Tarsus modern Turkey

Died
Beheaded c.65 at Rome, Italy

Patronage
against snakes; authors; Catholic Action; evangelists; hailstorms; hospital public relations; journalists; diocese of Las Vegas, Nevada; lay people; Malta; missionary bishops; musicians; Newspaper editorial staff; poisonous snakes; public relations personnel; public relations work; publishers; reporters; Rome; rope braiders; rope makers; saddlemakers; saddlers; snake bites; tent makers; writers

Representation

thin-faced elderly man with a high forehead, receding hairline and long pointed beard; man holding a sword and a book; man with 3 springs of water nearby; sword; book