Peter(0 — 65)
Peter
7 min read
A fisherman from Galilee who became one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, Peter is considered the first pope of the Catholic Church. He was martyred in Rome around 64–68 AD.
Frequently asked questions
Famous Quotes
« You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. »
« Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. »
Key Facts
- Born around 1 AD in Bethsaida in Galilee, a fisherman by trade
- Chosen by Jesus as one of the twelve apostles, he was given the name Peter (meaning 'rock')
- Denied Jesus three times during his arrest, before repenting
- Was among the first witnesses of the Resurrection
- Martyred in Rome around 64–68 AD, crucified upside down according to tradition
Works & Achievements
A letter addressed to Christians scattered across Asia Minor, written to encourage them in the face of persecution. It is one of the earliest New Testament texts to develop a theology of Christian suffering as participation in the sufferings of Christ.
A letter warning against false prophets and asserting Peter's apostolic authority. Historians debate its authenticity, but it was ultimately included in the New Testament canon.
Catholic tradition attributes to Peter the founding and leadership of the first Christian community in Rome. This mission forms the historical basis for the legitimacy of the Roman papacy to this day.
The first major Christian sermon delivered publicly in Jerusalem. Peter proclaims the resurrection of Jesus and calls the crowd to conversion — a founding act of the Church's evangelizing mission.
Peter baptizes Cornelius, a non-Jewish Roman centurion, officially opening Christianity to the Gentiles (non-Jews). This act marks a decisive turning point in the universalization of the Christian message.
Anecdotes
Peter was originally named Simon, son of Jonah, and was a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee. It was Jesus himself who gave him the name Peter (from the Greek Petros, meaning 'rock'), declaring that he would build his Church upon this 'rock.' This change of name symbolized the extraordinary mission entrusted to him.
During the arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter denied his master three times before the cock crowed, exactly as Jesus had predicted. This episode, recorded in all four Gospels, is one of the most human and dramatic moments in the founding texts of Christianity.
According to the Acts of the Apostles, Peter delivered the first great Christian missionary sermon on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem, before a crowd of pilgrims gathered from across the Mediterranean world. This speech is said to have led to the baptism of nearly three thousand people in a single day.
Tradition holds that Peter was condemned to be crucified in Rome under Nero. He reportedly asked to be crucified upside down, considering himself unworthy to die in the same manner as Jesus. His tomb on the Vatican hill is today covered by St. Peter's Basilica.
Peter was the first apostle to enter the empty tomb of Jesus after the Resurrection, according to the Gospel of John. This symbolic act established his authority within the early Christian community and, for the Catholic Church, justifies his primacy over the other apostles.
Primary Sources
Simon, whom he named Peter… He said to them: 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.'
Peter, standing with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: 'Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you...'
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.
I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas [Peter], and remained with him fifteen days.
To suppress this rumor, Nero fabricated scapegoats and inflicted the most exquisite punishments on a group hated for their abominations, whom the crowd called Christians.
Key Places
Peter's hometown, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. It was here that he lived as a fisherman before meeting Jesus and becoming his disciple.
A freshwater lake in Israel where Peter worked as a fisherman. It was on its shores that Jesus called him, and where several Gospel miracles are set.
The nerve center of early Christianity's first decades. Peter led the apostolic community there, delivered the Pentecost sermon, and took part in the Council of AD 49.
A great cosmopolitan city where one of the first Christian churches was founded. Peter stayed there and exercised his apostolic authority; it was here that the followers of Jesus were first called 'Christians.'
The site of Peter's martyrdom and burial according to Christian tradition. St. Peter's Basilica, built over his presumed tomb, is the center of the worldwide Catholic Church.
