Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul

by Rev. Jovito Roldan  |  06/29/2025  |  From the Clergy

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, though their personalities and missions were so different. This Solemnity commemorates the martyrdom of two great Apostles assigned to the same day on June 29. There must be a reason why we celebrate both the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. It is because we already have Feasts in honor of the Chair of Peter and of the Conversion of St. Paul. Peter and Paul, did not work so closely together. And so, why do we celebrate this Solemnity to honor them both? How can we compare these two super apostles?

It is like these: St. Peter was named Simon and Cephas. St. Paul was known Saul. St. Peter was a native of Galilee like Our Lord while St. Paul of Tarsus, Cilicia (modern Turkey). St. Peter a poor man, rugged, unlearned and far from being a theological expert but candid, eager and loving. In his heart, his conviction grew and from his lips came the spontaneous confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!” And St. Paul was a tent-maker by trade and a Talmudic student. He had a different image with Peter. He was truly a different personality, smart, refined, learned, gifted with words, alert and far-reaching. St. Peter was a simple fisherman and brother of Saint Andrew, the Apostle who led him to Christ. St. Paul was a Pharisee. St. Peter was renamed ‘Peter’ (or rock) by Jesus to indicate  he would be the rock-like foundation on which the Church would be built. He was the Prince of the Apostles because he is the center and indispensable bond of the Church’s unity, the unique channel of all spiritual powers, the guardian and unerring teacher of His truth. Jesus chose him as our stable anchor on earth and the rock. We find in our Church stability and hope and focus in a world becoming all the more confused. St. Paul is the Runner because, he was on the move: the act of being mobile in the world, of extending the Kingdom to the gentile world.  To go out to the world, while holding the stable Church in place as a destination, direction, home and haven. St. Paul became the mobile element and this is why his imagery was so often the athletic. St. Peter was called directly by Jesus and given “the keys of the kingdom” (Matt 16:16-18). He is portrayed carrying the keys. On the other hand, St. Paul has probably never met Jesus face to face. He was once a persecutor of the church and his conversion came about through a vision to Damascus. He hated and persecuted Christians as hereticals, even assisting at the stoning of Saint Stephen. On his way to Damascus he was knocked to the ground, strucked blind by a heavenly light and given the message that in persecuting Christians, he was persecuting Christ. The experience had a profound effect on him, causing his conversion to Christianity. He was baptized, changed his name to Paul and began travelling and preaching. His inspiration and his style came from visions and charismatic experiences. He is portrayed carrying either a sword or a book. That is, Paul had to get knocked off a horse and  blinded to what had been his life before he came to the understanding that the answer to “who do you say I am” is “my Lord and my God.” St. Peter had to pass through trial and error of a follower who slowly realized that the person before them is much more than meets the eye. St. Peter, awakened, says today “you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God”. Saints Peter and Paul were so different that St. Peter was surnamed the Apostle of the Jews and St. Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles. St. Paul once had a public disagreement with St. Peter on whether Jewish Christians could eat together with Gentile Christians (Gal 2). But both of them died as martyrs. St. Peter crucified with head downward because he was not worthy to die the same as Christ and was not a Roman citizen, therefore, no special favor. St. Paul was excused from crucifixion and died through beheading; he was a Roman citizen and was beheaded by a sword. Both of them died in Rome, Italy. Both Sts. Peter and Paul see that Jesus is not simply a way to live life. Jesus is life! Even if they are different, both of them are complementary. We need stability (St. Peter) and mobility (St. Paul). Both gifts are needed and these ways like the body parts all working for one. We are a community of persons and some of us like to travel as missionaries and yet some of us like to stay at home. Just as the Lord called Saint Peter and Saint Paul in different ways, we are also called in many different ways to follow the Lord throughout our lives. Let us not ignore the call of the Lord. Let us listen to his call and answer generously. Like Saint Paul, let us fight the good fight, racing towards the finish line, while persevering in our faith.

-Rev. Jovito Roldan