“Both apostles share the same feast day, for these two were one; and even though they suffered on different days, they were as one. Peter went first, and Paul followed. And so we celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles' blood. Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labors, their sufferings, their preaching, and their confession of faith.” – Saint Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 295

As early as the year 258, there is evidence of an already lengthy tradition of celebrating the solemnities of both Saint Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, and Saint Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles, on the same day.

They are together the founders of the See of Rome, through their preaching and ministry, and ultimately their martyrdoms there, Peter in 64 A.D. and Paul in 67 A.D.

Peter, who was named Simon, was a fisherman, in the line of his father, and was introduced to the Lord Jesus by his brother Andrew, also a fisherman.  It was from Him that he received the name Cephas (Petrus in Latin), which means ‘Rock,’ in view of the mission he was to fulfill as the head of the Apostles and the first pope.

Peter was the first to recognize that Jesus was “the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” the first to pledge his fidelity until death, the first to jump to Jesus’ side in Gethsemane and defend Him. Yet he was also very often the first to make mistakes, to reveal his human weaknesses and lack of faith, and his betrayal of the Lord at the hour of His passion and crucifixion is the most public.

After the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, Peter’s role as the head of the Apostles is confirmed is made clear in the accounts of the Acts of the Apostles. He is the leader of the Church and the one entrusted with confirming that the followers of Christ keep the true faith.

St. Peter’s last years were in Rome where he led the Church and where he was finally crucified (upside-down because he claimed that he was not worthy to die as his Lord) as Christ had told him he would be, and buried on the Vatican hill.

St. Peter’s basilica is built over the tomb of the Prince of Apostles.

St. Paul was the great preacher of the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, crucified and risen again. His letters were the first writings of the New Testament, and it is through them that we know most of the facts of His life and of the faith of the early Church.

Before receiving the name Paul he was Saul, a pharisee and persecutor of Christians in Jerusalem, present at the martyrdom of St. Stephen.

Saul was on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christian community there when he was surrounded by a great light from heaven and  fell off of his horse.  He then heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me?…Saul answered: Who art thou, Lord? Christ said: Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecute. It is hard for thee to kick against the goad (to contend with one so much mightier than thyself).”

Saul continued to Damascus, received baptism and went to see Peter and the other Apostles in Jerusalem. He was the Lord’s chosen instrument to take the faith to the Gentiles.

Paul spent the rest of his life tirelessly preaching the Gospel all over the Mediterranean world.  He was imprisoned and taken to Rome where he was beheaded in the year 67.

He is buried in the basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, in Rome.

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