Saint Peter was originally from Bethsaida, near Lake Tiberias, son of John, and worked, like his brother Saint Andrew, as a fisherman on Lake Genesareth. Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus, and Christ called Peter to become a disciple. The story is told in Luke that Peter caught such a large quantity of fish that it fell at the feet of Jesus and was told by the Lord, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will fish for men.” Jesus also gave Simon a new name: Cephas, or the rock. Having become a disciple of Jesus, Peter recognized him as "the Messiah, the son of the living God". Christ responded by saying: «you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church... And he added: «I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Peter was always listed as the first of the Apostles in all New Testament accounts and was a member of Jesus' inner circle, along with James and John. He is remembered more than any other disciple and was at Jesus' side during the Transfiguration, the resurrection of Jairus' daughter and the agony of the Garden of Gethsemane. He contributed to the organization of the Last Supper and played an important role in the events of the Passion. When the Master was arrested, he cut off the right ear of a slave of the high priest Malchus and then denied Christ three times as the Lord had predicted. Peter then "went out and began to cry bitterly". Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay After the resurrection, Peter went to the tomb with “the other disciple” after being informed of the event by the women. The first appearance of the resurrected Christ occurred before Peter, before the other disciples, and when the Lord came before the disciples in Tiberias, he gave Peter the famous command: «Feed my lambs... Feed my sheep... Feed . my sheep." In the time immediately following the Ascension, Peter was the unquestionable leader of the Apostles, his position is evident in Acts. He appointed Judas Iscariot's replacement; he spoke first to the crowds gathered after the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost; he was the first apostle to perform miracles in the name of the Lord and judged the dishonest Ananias and Sapphira. Peter was instrumental in bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles. He baptized the pagan Roman Cornelius and, at the Council of Jerusalem, gave his support to preaching to the Gentiles, thus allowing the new Church to become universal. Imprisoned by King Herod Agrippa, he was helped in his escape by an angel. He then resumed his apostolate in Jerusalem, and his missionary efforts included trips to cities in the pagan world such as Antioch, Corinth, and finally Rome. He referred to the Eternal City in his first Epistle noting that he writes from Babylon. It is certain that Peter died in Rome and that his martyrdom occurred during the reign of the emperor Nero, probably in 64. There are numerous testimonies of his martyrdom, including Origen, Eusebius of Caesarea, Saint Clement I of Rome, Saint Ignatius and Saint Irenaeus. According to a rich tradition, Peter was crucified upside down on Vatican Hill because he declared himself unworthy of dying in the same way as the Lord. He was then buried on Vatican Hill and excavations under St. Peter's Basilica brought to light his probable tomb, and his relics are now kept under the high altar of St. Peter's. From the earliest times of the Church Peter was recognized as Prince of the Apostles and first Supreme Pontiff; its see, Rome, thus enjoyed the position of primacy over the entire Catholic Church. Although Peter's main feast is June 29, he is also honored on February 22 and November 18. In liturgical art, he is depicted as an elderly man holding.
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