Pillars of the Roman Church

Peter was the son of Jona and brother of Andrew. He was a fisherman from Bethsaida, a fishing town on the Lake of Galilee (Gennesaret). It was his brother Andrew who introduced him to Jesus. Jesus changed his name from Simon to Cephas or Peter and made him the leader of the apostles.

It was the Holy Spirit Who inspired Peter’s Proclamation of the Good News to all in Jerusalem on the day of the Pentecost, bringing the Church into living action. Peter made missionary journeys to Lydda, Joppa and Caesarea, and convened the first Council in Jerusalem. He wrote two epistles addressed to the whole Church. Peter was martyred by crucifixion under the Emperor Nero.

During the persecution of Christians in Rome by Nero, Peter left Rome on the advice of Church members who saw him as indispensable to the continuance of the Church.

Peter headed out the Via Appia for the countryside. There he encountered Jesus, who was heading towards the city of Rome to face the persecution.

“Quo vadis, Domine?” Peter asks, “Lord, where are you going?”

“I am going to Rome to be crucified,” Jesus answers, and disappears. Tradition teaches us that Peter was crucified at the foot of Vatican Hill and was buried there. St. Peter’s Basilica was built over the site and Peter’s remains are buried directly under the High Altar.

The Latin phrase “Quo Vadis” denotes an episode in the life of Saint Peter, as told in the New Testament Apocrypha and the “Golden Legend.” The Church of Domine Quo Vadis (“Lord, where are You going?”) is located at the spot tradition says St. Peter had a vision of the risen Christ.

Meanwhile, Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles and the greatest missionary, was a Roman citizen by birth as he was born in Tarsus of Cilicia, a province of Rome. His original name was Saul. He was trained as a tent maker and practiced that trade. He was sent to Jerusalem by his parents to study the Mosaic Law under the great Rabbi Gamaliel. He made several missionary journeys, converted hundreds of Jews and Gentiles, and established Church communities. He wrote 14 epistles. He was arrested and imprisoned for two years in Caesarea and two more years in Rome. He was martyred by beheading at Tre Fontane in Rome.

Paul got actively involved in persecuting Christians. However, while he was on his way to Damascus to find all the Christians (whom he saw as renegade Jews), he saw a light from Heaven so brilliant that he fell to the ground, blinded.

As Saul fell to the ground, he heard the voice of Jesus asking him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Immediately Saul, shaken, asked, “Who are you, Lord?” Jesus said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”

Let us pray for the apostolic zeal and missionary spirit of Saints Peter and Paul.