June 29, Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the Apostles
Saint Paul and Saint Peter, even though they barely knew each other, are celebrated together on June 29 and are even mentioned together in the Litany of the Saints.
They are so often associated because they are essential to the Church’s balance. One cannot exist without the other. Their encounter with Christ was, for both of them, life-changing. Together, Saint Peter and Saint Paul represent the entirety of Christianity’s mission.
Indeed, Saint Peter represents the rock upon which the Lord’s Church is to be built: “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)—not because he is particularly strong or solid, but because he is the most faithful. His faith is infallible (even after denying the Lord three times); it is charismatic. Saint Peter, and all his successors on the papal throne, are indispensable for keeping the Church in the truth and in unity. They represent fidelity and faith.
Saint Paul, for his part, embodies freedom and evangelization. After his sudden conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul became a disciple of Christ and a great evangelist who would contribute significantly to the conversion of the pagans. Saint Paul is therefore necessary to keep the Church rooted in the world, in the unpredictable breath of the Holy Spirit.
Once again, Saint Peter and Saint Paul are thus complementary. Faithfulness without freedom can become prideful and harsh. But freedom without faithfulness becomes lax.
Furthermore, both disciples died as martyrs around the year 67 at the hands of Emperor Nero. Saint Peter was crucified upside down, and Saint Paul was beheaded.
Celebrating the holy apostles together on June 29 thus reminds us of the importance and complementarity of their missions: to live out our faith and to proclaim the Good News.
Praying with the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul
Prayer to Ask for the Intercession of the Apostles Peter and Paul
“Peter, the whole Church has prayed earnestly for you: may the roles and responsibilities of Church leaders be supported by the prayers of the faithful!
May Pope Francis’s call to the baptized to pray for him be taken seriously at the heart of every Christian’s life!
Peter, you who listened to and carried out the words of the Lord’s angel, help us to be attentive to the events of daily life! May we, in turn, always be discerning and docile to the breath of God!
Paul, converted on the road to Damascus: may the physical eyes of every person be transformed by the gaze of God! May the fire of sin, which brings war to human societies, give way to the burning fire of love and peace!
Paul, from Saul the persecutor to Paul the bearer of the Christian name, help every person seeking the meaning of life to encounter Christ, the Son of God who made himself small and humble, who is forsaken, imprisoned, persecuted…
Together with Peter and Paul, we ask God the Father to increase our faith in Christ day by day. May the Holy Spirit help us to bear witness to his merciful love in the world around us! Amen.”
Prayer to the Holy Apostles to Be Good Servants of Christ
“Glorious princes of the apostles, Saint Peter and Saint Paul, you were the first to preach the heavenly doctrine, and the first to put it into practice.
Your actions were never motivated by anything other than the divine will. Your death was nothing but a sacrifice of the most generous obedience.
Obtain for us, O privileged disciples of Jesus Christ, that evangelical spirit of perfect obedience which shows us to be faithful imitators of your examples. Grant that we may fulfill the divine will in all things even unto death; so that, having faithfully followed Jesus Christ with you on earth, we may also be received into heaven to sing there of the victories of Divine Mercy, which are prepared for those who are truly obedient. Amen.”
Continue your prayer with Saints Peter and Paul thanks to Hozana!
Take part in this !
Pray with Pauline Jaricot !
To deepen your faith, join this community and receive !
The Hozana editorial team.
