Peter and Paul The Church celebrates their feast together, every...

Peter and Paul
The Church celebrates their feast together, every year on June 29th as they are inseparable in their mission and witness. Though they had different charisms, they worked for the same cause - the building of Christ's Church.

The Church has long considered Saints Peter and Paul to be "inseparable" and "pillars of the Church", representing the whole Gospel of Christ. Their bond as brothers in the faith is seen as a new way of being brothers, made possible by the grace of the Gospel.

Saint Peter was a fisherman from Bethsaida chosen by Christ to be the foundation stone of the Church. Saint Paul, originally a persecutor of Christians, was miraculously converted on the road to Damascus and became the Apostle to the Gentiles. Despite their personal and cultural differences, these two apostles were united in their apostolic mission and martyrdom in Rome.

The Catholic Church venerates St. Peter and St. Paul for several key reasons:

Together, they represent the fullness of the Gospel message.

They both sealed their witness to Christ with martyrdom in Rome, making the city a sacred place for the Church. Their martyrdoms and the shedding of their blood consecrated Rome as the heart of the Catholic community.

They are considered the founders of the Church of Rome, with a special bond and significance for the city. Just as the mythical Romulus and Remus founded the physical city of Rome, Peter and Paul are seen as the founders of the spiritual Rome, the Church. Their embrace on the way to martyrdom symbolizes this fraternal bond.


The Church looks to Peter and Paul as models of the Christian journey of faith and love, overcoming fear through trust in God. Their experiences show that it is possible for the human person to become a sign of God's victorious power.