Feast of the glorious and all-important supreme apostles Peter and Paul (12/07)

On July 12, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Day of the Glorious and All-Praised Supreme Apostles Peter and Paul. On this day, Peter's Lent ends, unless the feast of the holy apostles Peter and Paul falls on Wednesday or Friday.

Apostle Peter —, a native of the city of Bethsaida, brother of the Apostle Andrew, lived with his family in Capernaum and was engaged in fishing. His name was Simon, and he received the name Peter (which means stone) from Jesus Christ. Peter's life is illuminated in the Gospel narrative more than other apostles because he was always next to Christ, was especially strongly attached to Him, the former unconditionally believes in the Divine Messenger of the Lord. For this he was awarded special intimacy to the Lord.

Christ, having confirmed Peter in the apostolic title, repeated three times: «Feed My sheep». And Peter became one of the most daring preachers of the Gospel. Already on the day of Pentecost, he converted first 5,000 and then another 3,000 people to Christ’s faith.

Peter became famous for many healings, and in Joppa he raised Tawitha from the dead, fearlessly testified about Christ before the rulers of Judah and the judgment of the Sanhedrin, was imprisoned twice, doomed to death, but after miraculous liberations by an angel he did not abandon his preaching feat. He visited different countries of the East and West. Peter died martyrically in Rome around 57. Sentenced to the cross, he asked to be crucified upside down, considering himself unworthy to die like the Lord.

The Apostle Paul bore the name Saul, which means «requested», «prayed», and only some time after turning to Christ he began to be called Paul. He was from Tarsus, whose inhabitants enjoyed the rights of Roman citizens, and was brought up under Gamaliel, the most famous Jewish teacher of the time. Saul grew up as a frantic defender of domestic law and fatherly traditions. The evangelical preaching of the apostles caused his ardent indignation, and he became one of their main persecutors.

The Book of Acts tells about Saul's sudden blindness during the procession to Damascus: «And for three days he did not see, and did not eat, and did not drink» (9:9). And then Saul was miraculously healed by one of Christ’s disciples, after which the sighted Saul himself believed in Christ and became a preacher of His teaching: «And immediately began to preach in synagogues...» (9:20).

The Apostle Paul, like the Apostle Peter, has worked hard in spreading the faith of Christ and is rightly revered with him as the «pillar» of the Church of Christ and the supreme apostle. They both died martyrically in Rome under Emperor Nero, and their memory is celebrated on the same day.

The Catholic Church celebrates the Day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul on June 29.

234