Saint Peter - wikipedia Saint Peter For other uses, see Saint Peter ( disambiguation ). Pope Saint Peter Apostle, pope, patriarch, and martyr Saint Peter ( c. 1468 ) by Marco Zoppo depicts Peter as an old man holding the Keys of Heaven and a book representing the gospel. Church Early Christian Great Church See First Bishop of Rome ( pope ), according to Catholic tradition First Bishop of Antioch ( patriarch ), according to Eastern Christian tradition Installed AD 30 Term ended between AD 64 and 68 Successor Bishop of Rome : Linus Bishop of Antioch : Evodius Orders Ordination AD 33 by Jesus Christ Personal details Birth name Shimon ( Simeon, Simon ) ca. 1 AD Bethsaida, Gaulanitis, Syria, Roman Empire between AD 64 and 68 ( aged 62 -- 67 ) Clementine Chapel, Vatican Hill, Rome, Italia, Roman Empire Parents John ( or Jonah ; Jona ) Occupation Fisherman, clergyman Sainthood Feast day Main feast ( with Paul the Apostle ) 29 June ( Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, Lutheranism ) Chair of Saint Peter in Rome 18 January ( pre-General Roman Calendar of 1960 ) Confession of Saint Peter 18 January ( Anglicanism ) Chair of Saint Peter 22 February ( Catholic Church ) Saint Peter in Chains 1 August ( pre-1960 Roman Calendar ) Venerated in All Christian denominations that venerate saints, Islam Canonized Pre-Congregation Attributes Keys of Heaven, Red Martyr, pallium, papal vestments, rooster, man crucified upside down, vested as an Apostle, holding a book or scroll, Cross of Saint Peter. Iconographically, he is depicted with a bushy white beard and white hair. Patronage Patronage list Shrines St. Peter 's Basilica Saint Peter ( Syriac / Aramaic : ܫܸܡܥܘܿܢ ܟܹ݁ܐܦ݂ܵܐ, Shemayon Keppa ; Hebrew : שמעון בר יונה ‎ Shim'on bar Yona ; Greek : Πέτρος Petros ; Coptic : ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ, translit. Petros ; Latin : Petrus ; r. AD 30 ; died between AD 64 and 68 ), also known as Simon Peter, Simeon, or Simon ( / ˈsaɪmən /, pronunciation ( help info ) ), according to the New Testament, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, leaders of the early Christian Great Church. Pope Gregory I called him repeatedly the `` Prince of the Apostles ''. According to Catholic teaching, Jesus promised Peter in the `` Rock of My Church '' dialogue in Matthew 16 : 18 a special position in the Church. He is traditionally counted as the first Bishop of Rome‍ -- ‌or pope ‍ -- ‌and also by Eastern Christian tradition as the first Patriarch of Antioch. The ancient Christian churches all venerate Peter as a major saint and as the founder of the Church of Antioch and the Roman Church, but differ in their attitudes regarding the authority of his present - day successors ( the primacy of the Bishop of Rome ). The New Testament indicates that Peter 's father 's name was John ( or Jonah or Jona ) and was from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee or Gaulanitis. His brother Andrew was also an apostle. According to New Testament accounts, Peter was one of twelve apostles chosen by Jesus from his first disciples. Originally a fisherman, he played a leadership role and was with Jesus during events witnessed by only a few apostles, such as the Transfiguration. According to the gospels, Peter confessed Jesus as the Messiah, was part of Jesus 's inner circle, thrice denied Jesus and wept bitterly once he realised his deed, and preached on the day of Pentecost. According to Christian tradition, Peter was crucified in Rome under Emperor Nero Augustus Caesar. It is traditionally held that he was crucified upside down at his own request, since he saw himself unworthy to be crucified in the same way as Jesus. Tradition holds that he was crucified at the site of the Clementine Chapel. His remains are said to be those contained in the underground Confessio of St. Peter 's Basilica, where Pope Paul VI announced in 1968 the excavated discovery of a first - century Roman cemetery. Every 29 June since 1736, a statue of Saint Peter in St. Peter 's Basilica is adorned with papal tiara, ring of the fisherman, and papal vestments, as part of the celebration of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. According to Catholic doctrine, the direct papal successor to Saint Peter is the incumbent pope, currently Pope Francis. Two general epistles in the New Testament are ascribed to Peter, but modern scholars generally reject the Petrine authorship of both. The Gospel of Mark was traditionally thought to show the influence of Peter 's preaching and eyewitness memories. Several other books bearing his name‍ -- ‌the Acts of Peter, Gospel of Peter, Preaching of Peter, Apocalypse of Peter, and Judgment of Peter ‍ -- ‌are considered by Christian denominations as apocryphal, and are thus not included in their Bible canons. Contents 1 Names and etymologies 2 New Testament account 2.1 `` Rock '' dialogue 2.2 Denial of Jesus by Peter 2.3 Resurrection appearances 2.4 Position among the apostles 2.5 Role in the early church 3 Connection to Rome 3.1 Road to Rome : Antioch and Corinth 3.2 Rome 3.3 Death 3.4 Status 3.5 Burial and relics 3.6 Epistles 4 Religious interpretations 4.1 Catholic Church 4.1. 1 Matthew 16 : 18 4.1. 2 Feast days 4.1. 3 Meaning of Matthew 16 : 18 4.1. 4 What did Peter begin ? 4.2 Eastern Orthodox 4.2. 1 Feast days 4.3 Syriac Orthodox Church 4.4 New Apostolic Church 4.5 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints 4.6 Islam 4.7 Bahá'í Faith 5 Writings 5.1 New Testament 5.1. 1 Epistles 5.1. 2 Mark 5.2 Pseudepigrapha and apocrypha 5.3 Non-canonical sayings of Peter 6 Iconography 7 Patronage 8 Revisionist views 9 In art 10 See also 11 Notes 12 External links Names and etymologies Calling of Peter and Andrew, Caravaggio Peter 's original name, as indicated in the New Testament, was `` Simon '' ( Σίμων Simōn in Greek ) or ( only in Acts 15 : 14 and 2 Peter 1 : 1 ) `` Simeon '' ( Συμεών in Greek ). The Simon / Simeon variation has been explained as reflecting `` the well - known custom among Jews at the time of giving the name of a famous patriarch or personage of the Old Testament to a male child along with a similar sounding Greek / Roman name ''. He was later given the name כֵּיפָא ( Kepha ) in Aramaic, which was rendered in Greek ( by transliteration and the addition of a final sigma to make it a masculine word ) as Κηφᾶς, whence Latin and English Cephas ( 9 occurrences in the New Testament ) ; or ( by translation with masculine termination ) as Πέτρος, whence Latin Petrus and English Peter ( 156 occurrences in the New Testament ). The precise meaning of the Aramaic word is disputed, some saying that its usual meaning is `` rock '' or `` crag '', others saying that it means rather `` stone '' and, particularly in its application by Jesus to Simon, `` precious stone '' or `` jewel '', but most scholars agree that as a proper name it denotes a rough or tough character. Both meanings, `` stone '' ( jewel or hewn stone ) and `` rock '', are indicated in dictionaries of Aramaic and Syriac. Catholic theologian Rudolf Pesch argues that the Aramaic cepha means `` stone, ball, clump, clew '' and that `` rock '' is only a connotation ; that in the Attic Greek petra denotes `` grown rock, rocky range, cliff, grotto '' ; and that petros means `` small stone, firestone, sling stone, moving boulder ''. The combined name Σίμων Πέτρος ( Simon Peter ) appears 19 times in the New Testament. In some Syriac documents he is called, in English translation, Simon Cephas. New Testament account Ruins of ancient Capernaum on north side of the Sea of Galilee Peter 's life story is told in the four canonical gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, New Testament letters, the non-canonical Gospel of the Hebrews and other Early Church accounts of his life and death. In the New Testament, he is among the first of the disciples called during Jesus ' ministry. Peter became the first listed apostle ordained by Jesus in the early church. Peter was a fisherman in Bethsaida. He was named Simon, son of Jonah or John. The three Synoptic Gospels recount how Peter 's mother - in - law was healed by Jesus at their home in Capernaum ; this passage clearly depicts Peter as being married. 1 Cor. 9 : 5 has also been taken to imply that he was married. The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew ( from the Maestà ), c. 1308 -- 1311 In the Synoptic Gospels, Peter ( then Simon ) was a fisherman along with his brother, Andrew, and the sons of Zebedee, James and John. The Gospel of John also depicts Peter fishing, even after the resurrection of Jesus, in the story of the Catch of 153 fish. In Matthew and Mark, Jesus called Simon and his brother Andrew to be `` fishers of men ''. A Franciscan church is built upon the traditional site of Apostle Peter 's house. In Luke, Simon Peter owns the boat that Jesus uses to preach to the multitudes who were pressing on him at the shore of Lake Gennesaret. Jesus then amazes Simon and his companions James and John ( Andrew is not mentioned ) by telling them to lower their nets, whereupon they catch a huge number of fish. Immediately after this, they follow him. The Gospel of John gives a comparable account of `` The First Disciples ''. In John, we are told that it was two disciples of John the Baptist ( Andrew and an unnamed disciple ) who heard John the Baptist announce Jesus as the `` Lamb of God '' and then followed Jesus. Andrew then went to his brother Simon, saying, `` We have found the Messiah '', and then brought Simon to Jesus. Apostle Peter striking the High Priests ' servant Malchus with a sword in the Garden of Gethsemane Three of the four gospels -- Matthew, Mark and John -- recount the story of Jesus walking on water. Matthew additionally describes Peter walking on water for a moment but beginning to sink when his faith wavers. At the beginning of the Last Supper, Jesus washed his disciples ' feet. Peter initially refused to let Jesus wash his feet, but when Jesus responded : `` If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me '', Peter replied : `` Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head ''. The washing of feet is often repeated in the service of worship on Maundy Thursday by some Christian denominations. The three Synoptic Gospels all mention that, when Jesus was arrested, one of his companions cut off the ear of a servant of the High Priest. The Gospel of John also includes this event and names Peter as the swordsman and Malchus as the victim. Luke adds that Jesus touched the ear and miraculously healed it. This healing of the servant 's ear is the last of the 37 miracles attributed to Jesus in the Bible. `` Rock '' dialogue In a dialogue between Jesus and his disciples ( Matthew 16 : 13 -- 19 ), Jesus asks, `` Who do people say that the Son of Man is ? '' The disciples give various answers. When he asks, `` Who do you say that I am ? '' Simon Peter answers, `` You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. '' Jesus then declares : Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Cephas ( Peter ) ( Petros ), and on this rock ( petra ) I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of 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. A common view of Peter is provided by Jesuit Father Daniel J. Harrington, who suggests that Peter was an unlikely symbol of stability. While he was one of the first disciples called and was the spokesman for the group, Peter is also the exemplar of `` little faith ''. In Matthew 14, Peter will soon have Jesus say to him, `` O you of little faith, why did you doubt ? '', and he will eventually deny Jesus three times. Thus, in light of the Easter event, Peter became an exemplar of the forgiven sinner. Outside the Catholic Church, opinions vary as to the interpretation of this passage with respect to what authority and responsibility, if any, Jesus was giving to Peter. In the Eastern Orthodox Church this passage is interpreted as not implying a special prominence to the person of Peter, but to Peter 's position as representative of the Apostles. The word used for `` rock '' ( petra ) grammatically refers to `` a small detachment of the massive ledge '', not to a massive boulder. Thus, Orthodox Sacred Tradition understands Jesus ' words as referring to the apostolic faith. Saint Peter by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo ( 1617 -- 1682 ) Petros had not previously been used as a name, but in the Greek - speaking world it became a popular Christian name, after the tradition of Peter 's prominence in the early Christian church had been established. Denial of Jesus by Peter The tears of Saint Peter, by El Greco Main article : Denial of Peter The Denial of Saint Peter, by Caravaggio All four canonical gospels recount that, during the Last Supper, Jesus foretold that Peter would deny him three times before the following cockcrow ( `` before the cock crows twice '' in Mark 's account ). The three Synoptics and John describe the three denials as follows : A denial when a female servant of the high priest spots Simon Peter, saying that he had been with Jesus. According to Mark ( but not in all manuscripts ), `` the rooster crowed ''. Only Luke and John mention a fire by which Peter was warming himself among other people : according to Luke, Peter was `` sitting '' ; according to John, he was `` standing ''. A denial when Simon Peter had gone out to the gateway, away from the firelight, but the same servant girl ( Mark ) or another servant girl ( Matthew ) or a man ( Luke and also John, for whom, though, this is the third denial ) told the bystanders he was a follower of Jesus. According to John, `` the rooster crowed ''. A denial came when Peter 's Galilean accent was taken as proof that he was indeed a disciple of Jesus. According to Matthew, Mark and Luke, `` the rooster crowed ''. Matthew adds that it was his accent that gave him away as coming from Galilee. Luke deviates slightly from this by stating that, rather than a crowd accusing Simon Peter, it was a third individual. John does not mention the Galilean accent. The Gospel of John places the second denial while Peter was still warming himself at the fire, and gives as the occasion of the third denial a claim by someone to have seen him in the garden of Gethsemane when Jesus was arrested. In the Gospel of Luke is a record of Christ telling Peter : `` Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat : but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not : and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. '' In a reminiscent scene in John 's epilogue, Peter affirms three times that he loves Jesus. Resurrection appearances Church of the Primacy of St. Peter on the Sea of Galilee In John 's gospel, Peter is the first person to enter the empty tomb, although the women and the beloved disciple see it before him. In Luke 's account, the women 's report of the empty tomb is dismissed by the apostles, and Peter is the only one who goes to check for himself, running to the tomb. After seeing the graveclothes he goes home, apparently without informing the other disciples. Paul 's First Epistle to the Corinthians contains a list of resurrection appearances of Jesus, the first of which is an appearance to Peter. Here, Paul apparently follows an early tradition that Peter was the first to see the risen Christ, which, however, did not seem to have survived to the time when the gospels were written. In the final chapter of the Gospel of John, Peter, in one of the resurrection appearances of Jesus, three times affirmed his love for Jesus, balancing his threefold denial, and Jesus reconfirmed Peter 's position. The Church of the Primacy of St. Peter on the Sea of Galilee is seen as the traditional site where Jesus Christ appeared to his disciples after his resurrection and, according to Catholic tradition, established Peter 's supreme jurisdiction over the Christian church. Position among the Apostles St. Peter Preaching the Gospel in the Catacombs by Jan Styka Peter is always listed first among the Twelve Apostles in the gospels and in the Book of Acts ( Acts 1 : 13 ). He is also frequently mentioned in the gospels as forming with James the Elder and John a special group within the Twelve Apostles, present at incidents at which the others were not present, such as at the Transfiguration of Jesus, at the raising of Jairus ' daughter and at the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Peter often confesses his faith in Jesus as the Messiah. Peter is often depicted in the gospels as spokesman of all the Apostles. Catholics refer to him as chief of the Apostles, as do the Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox. In Coptic Orthodox Church liturgy, he is once referred to as `` prominent '' or `` head '' among the Apostles, a title shared with Paul in the text ( The Fraction of Fast and Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul in the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria ). Some, including the Orthodox Churches, believe this is not the same as saying that the other Apostles were under Peter 's orders. In contrast, Jewish Christians are said to have argued that James the Just was the leader of the group. Some argue James the Just was bishop of Jerusalem whilst Peter was bishop of Rome and that this position at times gave James privilege in some ( but not all ) situations. The early Church historian Eusebius ( c. AD 325 ) records Clement of Alexandria ( c. AD 190 ) as saying, `` For they say that Peter and James ( the Greater ) and John after the ascension of our Saviour, as if also preferred by our Lord, strove not after honor, but chose James the Just bishop of Jerusalem. '' Peter was considered along with James the Just and John the Apostle as pillars of the Church ( Galatians 2 : 9 ). Paul affirms that Peter had the special charge of being apostle to the Jews, just as he, Paul, was apostle to the Gentiles. Role in the early Church The Liberation of St. Peter from prison by an angel, by Giovanni Lanfranco The author of the Acts of the Apostles portrays Peter as an extremely important figure within the early Christian community, with Peter delivering a significant open - air sermon during Pentecost. According to the same book, Peter took the lead in selecting a replacement for Judas Iscariot. Following this appointment, we see Peter establish the conditions for being an apostle as those who have spent time with Jesus. Peter 's authority lent to his role as an adjudicator in conflicts and moral matters. He takes on this role in the case of Ananias and Sapphira and holds them accountable for lying about their alms - giving. Peter passes judgement upon them and they are individually struck dead over the infraction. Peter 's role was n't always based around his leadership, but around his gifts for taking care of those in need. We see Peter establish these trends by reaching out to the sick and lame. Peter heals 2 individuals who can not walk or are paralyzed as well as raising Tabitha from the dead. While these acts were miracles of compassion, they also contributed to the number of believers in the early church He was twice arraigned, with John, before the Sanhedrin and directly defied them. After receiving a vision from God that allowed for the eating of previously unclean animals, Peter takes a missionary journey to Lydda, Joppa and Caesarea, becoming instrumental in the decision to evangelise the Gentiles. He applied the message of the vision on clean animals to the gentiles and follows his meeting with Cornelius by claiming that ' God shows no partiality. ' Following the 13th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, the narrative turns its attention away from Peter and to the activities of Paul, and the Bible is mostly silent on what occurred to Peter afterwards. John Vidmar, a Catholic scholar, writes : `` Catholic scholars agree that Peter had an authority that superseded that of the other apostles. Peter is their spokesman at several events, he conducts the election of Matthias, his opinion in the debate over converting Gentiles was crucial, etc. According to the Acts of the Apostles, Peter and John were sent from Jerusalem to Samaria ( Acts 8 : 14 ). Peter / Cephas is mentioned briefly in the opening chapter of Paul 's Epistle to the Galatians, which mentions a trip by Paul to Jerusalem where he meets Peter ( Galatians 1 : 18 ). Peter features again in Galatians, fourteen years later, when Paul ( now with Barnabas and Titus ) returned to Jerusalem ( Galatians 2 : 7 -- 9 ), and then, when Peter came to Antioch, Paul opposed Peter to his face `` because he ( Peter ) was in the wrong '' ( NIV ) ( Galatians 2 : 11 ). Acts 12 tells how Peter, who was in Jerusalem, was put into prison by King Herod ( A.D. 42 -- 44 ), but was rescued by an angel. After his liberation Peter left Jerusalem to go to `` another place '' ( Acts 12 : 1 -- 18 ). Concerning St. Peter 's subsequent activity we receive no further connected information from the extant sources, although we possess short notices of certain individual episodes of his later life. At the Council of Jerusalem ( c. 50 ), the early Church, Paul and the leaders of the Jerusalem church met and decided to embrace Gentile converts. Acts portrays Peter and other leaders as successfully opposing the Christian Pharisees who insisted on circumcision. The church in Rome was already flourishing when Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans about AD 57, he greets some fifty people in Rome by name, but not Peter whom he knew. There is also no mention of Peter in Rome later during Paul 's two - year stay there in Acts 28, about AD 60 -- 62. Some Church historians consider Peter and Paul to have been martyred under the reign of Nero, around AD 65. Connection to Rome The Apostles Peter and Paul, detail of cupola fresco by Correggio In a strong tradition of the Early Church, Peter is said to have founded the Church in Rome with Paul, served as its bishop, authored two epistles, and then met martyrdom there along with Paul. Christians of different theological backgrounds are in disagreement as to the exact significance of Peter 's ministry. For instance : Catholics view Peter as the first pope. The Catholic Church asserts that Peter 's ministry, conferred upon him by Jesus of Nazareth in the gospels, lays down the theological foundation for the pope 's exercise of pastoral authority over the Church. Eastern Orthodox also believe that Peter 's ministry points to an underlying theology wherein a special primacy ought to be granted to Peter 's successors above other Church leaders but see this as merely a `` primacy of honor '', rather than the right to exercise pastoral authority. Protestant denominations assert that Peter 's apostolic work in Rome does not imply a connection between him and the papacy. Similarly, historians of various backgrounds also offer differing interpretations of the Apostle 's presence in Rome. Road to Rome : Antioch and Corinth According to the epistle to the Galatians 2 : 11, Peter went to Antioch where Paul rebuked him for separating himself from Gentiles ( see the Incident at Antioch ). Galatians is accepted as authentic by almost all scholars. These may be the earliest mentions of Peter to be written. Later accounts expand on the brief biblical mention of his visit to Antioch. The Liber Pontificalis ( 9th century ) mentions Peter as having served as bishop of Antioch for seven years and having potentially left his family in the Greek city before his journey to Rome. Claims of direct blood lineage from Simon Peter among the old population of Antioch existed in the 1st century and continue to exist today, notably by certain Semaan families of modern - day Syria and Lebanon. Historians have furnished other evidence of Peter 's sojourn in Antioch. Subsequent tradition held that Peter had been the first Patriarch of Antioch. According to the writings of Origen and Eusebius in his Church History ( III, 36 ) Peter would have been the founder of the Church of Antioch and `` after having first founded the church at Antioch, went away to Rome preaching the Gospel, and he also, after ( presiding over ) the church in Antioch, presided over that of Rome until his death ''. After presiding over the church in Antioch by a while, Peter would have been succeeded by Evodius, and after by Ignatius, who was a student of John the Apostle. Eusebius of Caesarea, in his `` Historia Ecclesiastica ( I, 12 : 2 ) '' while naming some of the Seventy Disciples of Jesus, says : This is the account of Clement, in the fifth book of Hypotyposes ( A.D. 190 ) ; in which he also says that Cephas was one of the seventy disciples, a man who bore the same name as the apostle Peter, and the one concerning whom Paul says, ( When Cephas came to Antioch I withstood him to his face. ) -- Galatians 2 : 11 The Clementine literature, a group of related works written in the fourth century but believed to contain materials from earlier centuries, relate information about Peter that may come from earlier traditions. One is that Peter had a group of 12 to 16 followers, whom the Clementine writings name. Another is that it provides an itinerary of Peter 's route from Caesarea Maritima to Antioch, where he debated his adversary Simon Magus ; during this journey he ordained Zacchaeus as the first bishop of Caesarea and Maro as the first bishop of Tripolis. Fred Lapham suggests the route recorded in the Clementine writings may have been taken from an earlier document mentioned by Epiphanius of Salamis in his Panarion called `` The Itinerary of Peter ''. Eusebius of Caesarea relates that when Peter confronts Simon Magus at Judea ( mentioned in Acts 8 ), Simon flees to Rome where the Romans got to regard him as a god. According to Eusebius, his luck did not last long since God sent Peter to Rome and Simon was quenched and immediately destroyed. An apocryphal work, the Actus Vercellenses ( 7th century ), a Latin text preserved in only one manuscript copy published widely in translation under the title Acts of Peter, sets Peter 's confrontation with Simon Magus in Rome. Peter might have visited Corinth and maybe would have existed a party of `` Cephas ''. First Corinthians suggests that perhaps Peter visited the city of Corinth, located at Greece, during their missions. Dionysius, bishop of Corinth, in his Epistle to the Roman Church under Pope Soter ( A.D. 165 -- 174 ) declares that Peter and Paul founded the Church of Rome and the Church of Corinth, and they have lived in Corinth for some time and finally in Italy where they found death : You have thus by such an admonition bound together the planting of Peter and of Paul at Rome and Corinth. For both of them planted and likewise taught us in our Corinth. And they taught together in like manner in Italy, and suffered martyrdom at the same time. Rome Irenaeus of Lyons wrote in the 2nd century that Peter and Paul had been the founders of the Church in Rome and had appointed Linus as succeeding bishop. Clement of Alexandria states that `` Peter had preached the Word publicly at Rome. ( A.D. 190 ) '' According to Jerome `` Peter went to Rome in the second year of Claudius to overthrow Simon Magus, and held the sacerdotal chair there for twenty - five years until the last, that is the fourteenth, year of Nero. '' Lactantius, in his book called Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died, written around 318, noted that `` And while Nero reigned, the Apostle Peter came to Rome, and, through the power of God committed unto him, wrought certain miracles, and, by turning many to the true religion, built up a faithful and stedfast temple unto the Lord. '' The Catholic Church speaks of the pope, the bishop of Rome, as the successor of Saint Peter. This is often interpreted to imply that Peter was the first Bishop of Rome. However, it is also said that the institution of the papacy is not dependent on the idea that Peter was Bishop of Rome or even on his ever having been in Rome. While accepting that Peter came to Rome and was martyred there, some scholars claim to find no historical evidence that he held episcopal office there. While the church in Rome was already flourishing when Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans about AD 57, he greets some fifty people in Rome by name, but not Peter whom he knew. There is also no mention of Peter in Rome later during Paul 's two - year stay there in Acts 28, about AD 60 -- 62. Some church historians consider Peter and Paul to have been martyred under the reign of Nero, around AD 65 such as after the Great Fire of Rome. Presently, most Catholic scholars, and many scholars in general, hold the view that Peter was martyred in Rome under Nero. There is no obvious biblical evidence that Peter was ever in Rome, but he does mention that `` The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you ; and so doth Marcus my son '' ( 1 Peter 5 : 13 ). It is not certain whether this refers to the actual Babylon or to Rome, for which Babylon was a common nickname at the time, or to the Jewish diaspora in general, as a recent theory has proposed. Marcus, however, is a very typical Roman name, which strengthens the theory that Peter refers to Rome in his letter. In the preceding verse ( 1 Peter 5 : 12 ) he also mentions Silvanus, another typical Roman name. In two extensive studies published respectively in 2009 and 2013, Otto Zwierlein ( de ) held that `` there is not a single piece of reliable literary evidence ( and no archaeological evidence either ) that Peter ever was in Rome. '' Zwierlein 's thesis has caused debate. Zwierlein has made a summary of his view available online in English. Clement of Rome ' First Letter, a document that has been dated from the 90s to the 120s, is one of the earliest sources adduced in support of Peter 's stay in Rome, but Zwierlein questions the text 's authenticity and whether it has any knowledge about Peter 's life beyond what is contained in the New Testament Acts of the Apostles. The letter also does not mention any particular place, only saying : `` Peter, through unrighteous envy, endured not one or two, but numerous labours and when he had at length suffered martyrdom, departed to the place of glory due to him. '' ( ch. 5 ) A letter attributed to Ignatius of Antioch to the Romans might imply that Peter and Paul had special authority over the Roman church, telling the Roman Christians : `` I do not command you, as Peter and Paul did '' ( ch. 4 ), although Zwierlein says he could be simply referring to the Epistles of the Apostles, or their mission work in the city, not a special authority given or bestowed. Zwierlein has questioned the authenticity of this document and its traditional dating to c. 105 -- 10, who says it may date from the final decades of the 2nd century instead of from the beginning. It should be stated, however obviously, that Otto Zwierlein is not the sole academic, scholar, or authority on the subject and his statements have caused controversy within the field. Death Domine quo vadis ? ( 1602 ) by Annibale Carracci In the epilogue of the Gospel of John, Jesus hints at the death by which Peter would glorify God, saying `` when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go. '' This is interpreted by some as a reference to Peter 's crucifixion. Theologians Donald Fay Robinson and Warren M. Smaltz have suggested that the incident in Acts 12 : 1 -- 17, where Peter is `` released by an angel '' and goes to `` another place '', really represents an idealized account of his death, which may have occurred in a Jerusalem prison in as early as 44 AD. The Muratorian fragment, dated to the second century A.D., notes that the primary eyewitness to Acts, Luke, was not present at Peter 's death. However, early Church Tradition ( as indicated below ) says that Peter probably died by crucifixion ( with arms outstretched ) at the time of the Great Fire of Rome in the year 64. The writings of the 1st century Church Father Ignatius of Antioch refer to Peter and Paul giving admonitions to the Romans, indicating Peter 's presence in Rome. Margherita Guarducci, who led the research leading to the rediscovery of Peter 's reputed tomb in its last stages ( 1963 -- 1968 ), concludes Peter died on 13 October AD 64 during the festivities on the occasion of the `` dies imperii '' of Emperor Nero. This took place three months after the disastrous fire that destroyed Rome for which the emperor ( Nero ) wished to blame the Christians. This `` dies imperii '' ( regnal day anniversary ) was an important one, exactly ten years after Nero ascended to the throne, and it was ' as usual ' accompanied by much bloodshed. Traditionally, Roman authorities sentenced him to death by crucifixion. In accordance with the apocryphal Acts of Peter, he was crucified head down. Tradition also locates his burial place where the Basilica of Saint Peter was later built, directly beneath the Basilica 's high altar. The Crucifixion of Saint Peter ( 1601 ) by Caravaggio According to the 1911 Catholic Encyclopedia, Peter labored in Rome during the last portion of his life, and there his life was ended by martyrdom. Pope Clement I, in his Letter to the Corinthians ( Chapter 5 ), written c. 80 -- 98, speaks of Peter 's martyrdom in the following terms : `` Let us take the noble examples of our own generation. Through jealousy and envy the greatest and most just pillars of the Church were persecuted, and came even unto death.... Peter, through unjust envy, endured not one or two but many labours, and at last, having delivered his testimony, departed unto the place of glory due to him. '' The death of Peter is attested to by Tertullian at the end of the 2nd century, in his Prescription Against Heretics, noting that Peter endured a passion like his Lord 's : In his work Scorpiace 15, he also speaks of Peter 's crucifixion : `` The budding faith Nero first made bloody in Rome. There Peter was girded by another, since he was bound to the cross ''. Origen in his Commentary on the Book of Genesis III, quoted by Eusebius of Caesaria in his Ecclesiastical History ( III, 1 ), said : `` Peter was crucified at Rome with his head downwards, as he himself had desired to suffer. '' The Cross of St. Peter inverts the Latin cross based on this refusal, and his claim of being unworthy to die the same way as his Saviour. Peter of Alexandria, who was bishop of Alexandria and died around A.D. 311, wrote an epistle on Penance, in which he says : `` Peter, the first of the apostles, having been often apprehended, and thrown into prison, and treated with ignominy, was last of all crucified at Rome ''. Jerome describes that `` At his Nero 's hands Peter received the crown of martyrdom being nailed to the cross with his head towards the ground and his feet raised on high, asserting that he was unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as his Lord. '' The apocryphal Acts of Peter ( Vercelli Acts XXXV ), is the source for the tradition about the Latin famous phrase `` Quo vadis, Domine ? '' ( in Greek : Κύριε, ποῦ ὑπάγεις `` Kyrie, pou hypageis ? '' ), which means `` Where are you going, Lord ? ''. According to the story, Peter, fleeing Rome to avoid execution meets the risen Jesus. In the Latin translation, Peter asks Jesus, `` Quo vadis ? '' He replies, `` Romam eo iterum crucifigi ( '' I am going to Rome to be crucified again `` ). Peter then gains the courage to continue his ministry and returns to the city, where he is martyred. This story is commemorated in an Annibale Carracci painting. The Church of Quo Vadis, near the Catacombs of Saint Callistus, contains a stone in which Jesus ' footprints from this event are supposedly preserved, though this was apparently an ex-voto from a pilgrim, and indeed a copy of the original, housed in the Basilica of St Sebastian. The ancient historian Josephus describes how Roman soldiers would amuse themselves by crucifying criminals in different positions, and it is likely that this would have been known to the author of the Acts of Peter. The position attributed to Peter 's crucifixion is thus plausible, either as having happened historically or as being an invention by the author of the Acts of Peter. Death, after crucifixion head down, is unlikely to be caused by suffocation, the usual `` cause of death in ordinary crucifixion ''. Status St. Clement of Rome identifies Peter and Paul as the outstanding heroes of the faith. Papias reported that the Gospel of Mark was based on Peter 's memoirs, a tradition still accepted by some scholars today. Burial and relics Looking down into the confessio near the tomb of Apostle Peter, St. Peter 's Basilica, Rome Catholic tradition holds that Peter 's inverted crucifixion occurred at the spot now occupied by the Clementine Chapel in the grottoes of Saint Peter 's Basilica, with the burial in Saint Peter 's tomb nearby. Caius in his Disputation Against Proclus ( A.D. 198 ), preserved in part by Eusebius, relates this of the places in which the remains of the apostles Peter and Paul were deposited : `` I can point out the trophies of the apostles. For if you are willing to go to the Vatican or to the Ostian Way, you will find the trophies of those who founded this Church ''. According to Jerome, in his work De Viris Illustribus ( A.D. 392 ), `` Peter was buried at Rome in the Vatican near the triumphal way where he is venerated by the whole world. '' In the early 4th century, the Emperor Constantine I decided to honour Peter with a large basilica. Because the precise location of Peter 's burial was so firmly fixed in the belief of the Christians of Rome, the church to house the basilica had to be erected on a site that was not convenient to construction. The slope of the Vatican Hill had to be excavated, even though the church could much more easily have been built on level ground only slightly to the south. There were also moral and legal issues, such as demolishing a cemetery to make room for the building. The focal point of the Basilica, both in its original form and in its later complete reconstruction, is the altar located over what is said to be the point of Peter 's burial. St. Peter 's Basilica, believed to be the burial site of St. Peter, seen from the River Tiber According to a letter quoted by Bede, Pope Vitalian sent a cross containing filings said to be from Peter 's chains to the queen of Oswy, Anglo - Saxon King of Northumbria in 665, as well as unspecified relics of the saint to the king. In 1950, human bones were found buried underneath the altar of St. Peter 's Basilica. The bones have been claimed by many to have been those of Peter. An attempt to contradict these claims was made in 1953 by the excavation of what some believe to be St Peter 's tomb in Jerusalem. However along with this supposed tomb in Jerusalem bearing his previous name Simon ( but not Peter ), tombs bearing the names of Jesus, Mary, James, John, and the rest of the apostles were also found at the same excavation -- though all these names were very common among Jews at the time. In the 1960s, items from the excavations beneath St Peter 's Basilica were re-examined, and the bones of a male person were identified. A forensic examination found them to be a male of about 61 years of age from the 1st century. This caused Pope Paul VI in 1968 to announce them most likely to be the relics of Apostle Peter. On November 24, 2013, Pope Francis revealed these relics of nine bone fragments for the first time in public during a Mass celebrated in St. Peter 's Square. Epistles Saint Peter 's vision on the roof of the house Church tradition ascribes the epistles First and Second Peter to the Apostle Peter, as does the text of Second Peter itself. First Peter implies the author is in `` Babylon '', which has been held to be a coded reference to Rome ( 1 Peter 5 : 13 ). Most Biblical scholars believe that `` Babylon '' is a metaphor for the pagan Roman Empire at the time it persecuted Christians, before the Edict of Milan in 313 : perhaps specifically referencing some aspect of Rome 's rule ( brutality, greed, paganism ). In 4 Ezra, 2 Baruch and the Sibylline oracles, `` Babylon '' is a cryptic name for Rome. Reinhard Feldmeier speculates that `` Babylon '' is used to refer to Rome in 1 Peter 5 : 13. In Revelation 17 : 9 it is said that she sits on `` seven mountains '', typically understood as the seven hills of Rome. A Roman coin minted under the Emperor Vespasian ( ca. 70 AD ) depicts Rome as a woman sitting on seven hills. According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, `` The characteristics ascribed to this Babylon apply to Rome rather than to any other city of that age : ( a ) as ruling over the kings of the earth ( Revelation 17 : 18 ) ; ( b ) as sitting on seven mountains ( Revelation 17 : 9 ) ; ( c ) as the center of the world 's merchandise ( Revelation 18 : 3, 11 -- 13 ) ; ( d ) as the corrupter of the nations ( Revelation 17 : 2 ; 18 : 3 ; 19 : 2 ) ; ( e ) as the persecutor of the saints ( Revelation 17 : 6 ). '' At that time in history, the ancient city of Babylon was no longer of any importance. E.g., Strabo wrote, `` The greater part of Babylon is so deserted that one would not hesitate to say... The Great City is a great desert. '' Another theory is that Babylon term refers to the Babylon in Egypt that was an important fortress city in Egypt, just north of today 's Cairo and this, combined with the `` greetings from Mark '' ( 1 Peter 5 : 13 ), who may be Mark the Evangelist, regarded as the founder of the Church of Alexandria ( Egypt ), has led some scholars to regard the First Peter epistle as having been written in Egypt. Early Church tradition reports that Peter wrote from Rome. Eusebius of Caesarea states : Clement of Alexandria in the sixth ( book ) of the Hypotyposeis cites the story, and the bishop of Hierapolis named Papias joins him in testifying that Peter mentions Mark in the first epistle, which they say he composed in Rome herself, and that he indicates this, calling the city more figuratively Babylon by these : `` She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings and so does my son Mark. ( 1 Pet 5 : 13 ) If the reference is to Rome, it is the only biblical reference to Peter being there. Many scholars regard both First and Second Peter as not having been authored by him, partly because other parts of the Acts of the Apostles seem to describe Peter as an illiterate fisherman. Religious interpretations Statue of St. Peter in St. Peter 's Square at the Vatican Statue of St. Peter in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran by Pierre - Étienne Monnot Catholic Church Main articles : Primacy of Simon Peter and Papal primacy According to Catholic belief, Simon Peter was distinguished by Jesus to hold the first place of honor and authority. Also in Catholic belief, Peter was, as the first Bishop of Rome, the first Pope. Furthermore, they consider every Pope to be Peter 's successor and the rightful superior of all other bishops. Although Peter never bore the title of `` Pope '', or `` Vicar of Christ '', in this sense the Catholic Church considers Peter the first Pope. The Catholic Church 's recognition of Peter as head of its church on Earth ( with Christ being its heavenly head ) is based on its interpretation of two passages from the canonical gospels of the New Testament ; as well as sacred tradition. The first passage is John 21 : 15 -- 17 which is : `` Feed my lambs... feed my lambs... feed my sheep '' ( within the Greek it is Ποίμαινε i.e., to feed and rule ( as a Shepherd )., v. 16 while Βόσκε i.e., to feed., for v. 15 & v. 17 ) -- which is seen by Catholics as Christ promising the spiritual supremacy to Peter. The Catholic Encyclopedia sees in this passage Jesus `` charging ( Peter ) with the superintendency of all his sheep, without exception ; and consequently of his whole flock, that is, of his own church ''. Matthew 16 : 18 The second passage is Matthew 16 : 18 : I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of 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. -- Matthew 16 : 18 -- 19 ( NIV ) Jesus could have said the following phrase in Aramaic, which could have spoken : ܐܳܦ݂ ܐܶܢܳܐ ܐܳܡܰܪ ܐ݈ܢܳܐ ܠܳܟ݂ ܕ݁ܰܐܢ݈ܬ݁ ܗ݈ܽܘ ܟ݁ܺܐܦ݂ܳܐ ܘܥܰܠ ܗܳܕ݂ܶܐ ܟ݁ܺܐܦ݂ܳܐ ܐܶܒ݂ܢܶܝܗ ܠܥܺܕ݈݁ܬ݁ܝ ܘܬ݂ܰܪܥܶܐ ܕ݁ܰܫܝܽܘܠ ܠܳܐ ܢܶܚܣܢܽܘܢܳܗ ܂ -- ( Peshitta ) ܡܬܝ ܝܘ. ܝܚ -- ܟ also I say I to you that you are Keepa ( Cephas ) and on this Keepa ( Cephas ) I will build my Church and the gates of Sheol not will subdue it. You are a rock, and upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of Sheol not will subdue it. Paul of Tarsus called Peter as `` Cephas '', in the same way that Jesus did. This Hellenized Hebrew word of Aramaic ܟ݁ܺܐܦ݂ܳܐ ( Cephas ), was not a proper name, but Paul assigns him as such. Petros ( Πέτρος ) and petra ( πέτρᾳ ) are the Greek equivalent to the Syriac Cephas ( ܟ݁ܺܐܦ݂ܳܐ ) which means `` rock '', and there is no difference at all between Petros and petra. To better understand what Christ meant, St. Basil elaborates : Though Peter be a rock, yet he is not a rock as Christ is. For Christ is the true unmoveable rock of himself, Peter is unmoveable by Christ the rock. For Jesus doth communicate and impart his dignities, not voiding himself of them, but holding them to himself, bestoweth them also upon others. He is the light, and yet 2. You are the light : he is the Priest, and yet he 3. maketh Priests : he is the rock, and he made a rock. -- Basil li. De poenit. cƒ. Matt. v. 14 ; Luke 22 : 19 In reference to Peter 's occupation before becoming an Apostle, the popes wear the Fisherman 's Ring, which bears an image of the saint casting his nets from a fishing boat. The keys used as a symbol of the pope 's authority refer to the `` keys of the kingdom of Heaven '' promised to Peter. The terminology of this `` commission '' of Peter is unmistakably parallel to the commissioning of Eliakim ben Hilkiah in Isaiah 22 : 15 -- 23. Peter is often depicted in both Western and Eastern Christian art holding a key or a set of keys. Though the authenticity of this account has been challenged, the general consensus is that these are Jesus ' words. Feast days Main article : Feast of Saints Peter and Paul The Roman Martyrology assigns 29 June as the feast day of both Peter and Paul, without thereby declaring that to be the day of their deaths. Augustine of Hippo says in his Sermon 295 : `` One day is assigned for the celebration of the martyrdom of the two apostles. But those two were one. Although their martyrdom occurred on different days, they were one. '' This is also the feast of both Apostles in the calendar of the Eastern Orthodox Church. In the Roman Rite, the feast of the Chair of Saint Peter is celebrated on 22 February, and the anniversary of the dedication of the two papal basilicas of Saint Peter 's and Saint Paul 's outside the Walls is held on 18 November. Before Pope John XXIII 's revision in 1960, the Roman Calendar also included on 18 January another feast of the Chair of Saint Peter ( denominated the Chair of Saint Peter in Rome, while the February feast was then called that of the Chair of Saint Peter at Antioch ), and on 1 August the feast of Saint Peter in Chains. See also : St Peter 's Eve Meaning of Matthew 16 : 18 In the original Greek the word translated as `` Peter '' is Πέτρος ( Petros ) and that translated as `` rock '' is πέτρα ( petra ), two words that, while not identical, give an impression of one of many times when Jesus used a play on words. Furthermore, since Jesus presumably spoke to Peter in their native Aramaic language, he would have used kepha in both instances. The Peshitta Text and the Old Syriac texts use the word `` kepha '' for both `` Peter '' and `` rock '' in Matthew 16 : 18. John 1 : 42 says Jesus called Simon `` Cephas '', as Paul calls him in some letters. He was instructed by Christ to strengthen his brethren, i.e., the apostles. Peter also had a leadership role in the early Christian church at Jerusalem according to The Acts of the Apostles chapters 1 -- 2, 10 -- 11, and 15. Early Catholic Latin and Greek writers ( such as St. John Chrysostom ) considered the `` foundation rock '' as applying to both Peter personally and his confession of faith ( or the faith of his confession ) symbolically, as well as seeing Christ 's promise to apply more generally to his twelve apostles and the Church at large. This `` double meaning '' interpretation is present in the current Catechism of the Catholic Church. Protestant counter-claims to the Catholic interpretation are largely based on the difference between the Greek words translated `` Rock '' in the Matthean passage. In popular - level writings, rather than in academic studies, they claim that in classical Attic Greek petros ( masculine ) generally meant `` pebble '', while petra ( feminine ) meant `` boulder '' or `` cliff '', and accordingly, taking Peter 's name to mean `` pebble, '' they argue that the `` rock '' in question can not have been Peter, but something else, either Jesus himself, or the faith in Jesus that Peter had just professed. These popular - level writings are rebutted in similar popular - level Catholic writings. The New Testament was written in Koiné Greek, not Attic Greek, and some authorities say no significant difference existed between the meanings of petros and petra. So far from meaning a pebble was the word petros that Apollonius Rhodius a writer of Koiné Greek of the third century B.C., used it to refer to `` a huge round boulder, a terrible quoit of Ares Enyalius ; four stalwart youths could not have raised it from the ground even a little ''. Christ Handing the Keys to St Peter, by Pietro Perugino ( 1481 -- 82 ) The feminine noun petra ( πέτρα in Greek ), translated as rock in the phrase `` on this rock I will build my church '', is also used at 1 Cor. 10 : 4 in describing Jesus Christ, which reads : `` They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink ; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. '' Although Matthew 16 is used as a primary proof - text for the Catholic doctrine of Papal supremacy, some Protestant scholars say that prior to the Reformation of the 16th century, Matthew 16 was very rarely used to support papal claims, despite it being well documented as being used in the 3rd century by Stephen of Rome against Cyprian of Carriage in a `` passionate disagreement '' about baptism and in the 4th century by Pope Damasus as a claim to primacy as a lesson of the Arian Controversy for stricter discipline and centralized control. Their position is that most of the early and medieval Church interpreted the ' rock ' as being a reference either to Christ or to Peter 's faith, not Peter himself. They understand Jesus ' remark to have been his affirmation of Peter 's testimony that Jesus was the Son of God. Despite this claim, many Fathers saw a connection between Matthew 16 : 18 and the primacy of Peter and his office, such as Tertullian, writing : the Lord said to Peter, ' On this rock I will build my Church, I have given you the keys of the kingdom of heaven ( and ) whatever you shall have bound or loosed on earth will be bound or loosed in heaven ' ( Matt. 16 : 18 -- 19 )... Upon you, he says, I will build my Church ; and I will give to you the keys, not to the Church. What did Peter begin ? Other theologically conservative Christians, including Confessional Lutherans, also rebut comments made by Karl Keating and D.A. Carson who claim that there is no distinction between the words petros and petra in Koine Greek. The Lutheran theologians state that the dictionaries of Koine / NT Greek, including the authoritative Bauer - Danker - Arndt - Gingrich Lexicon, indeed list both words and the passages that give different meanings for each. The Lutheran theologians further note that : We honor Peter and in fact some of our churches are named after him, but he was not the first pope, nor was he Roman Catholic. If you read his first letter, you will see that he did not teach a Roman hierarchy, but that all Christians are royal priests. The same keys given to Peter in Matthew 16 are given to the whole church of believers in Matthew 18. Saint Peter by Dirck van Baburen Oscar Cullmann, a Lutheran theologian and distinguished Church historian, disagrees with Luther and the Protestant reformers who held that by `` rock '' Christ did not mean Peter, but meant either himself or the faith of His followers. He believes the meaning of the original Aramaic is very clear : that `` Kepha '' was the Aramaic word for `` rock '', and that it was also the name by which Christ called Peter. Yet, Cullmann sharply rejects the Catholic claim that Peter began the papal succession. He writes : `` In the life of Peter there is no starting point for a chain of succession to the leadership of the church at large. '' While he believes the Matthew text is entirely valid and is in no way spurious, he says it can not be used as `` warrant of the papal succession. '' Cullmann concludes that while Peter was the original head of the apostles, Peter was not the founder of any visible church succession. There are other Protestant scholars who also partially defend the historical Catholic position about `` Rock. '' Taking a somewhat different approach from Cullman, they point out that the Gospel of Matthew was not written in the classical Attic form of Greek, but in the Hellenistic Koine dialect in which there is no distinction in meaning between petros and petra. Moreover, even in Attic Greek, in which the regular meaning of petros was a smallish `` stone, '' there are instances of its use to refer to larger rocks, as in Sophocles, Oedipus at Colonus v. 1595, where petros refers to a boulder used as a landmark, obviously something more than a pebble. In any case, a petros / petra distinction is irrelevant considering the Aramaic language in which the phrase might well have been spoken. In Greek, of any period, the feminine noun petra could not be used as the given name of a male, which may explain the use of Petros as the Greek word with which to translate Aramaic Kepha. Yet, still other Protestant scholars believe that Jesus in fact did mean to single out Peter as the very rock which he will build upon, but that the passage does nothing to indicate a continued succession of Peter 's implied position. They assert that Matthew uses the demonstrative pronoun taute, which allegedly means `` this very '' or this same, when he refers to the rock on which Jesus ' church will be built. He also uses the Greek word for `` and '', kai. It is alleged that when a demonstrative pronoun is used with kai, the pronoun refers back to the preceding noun. The second rock Jesus refers to must then be the same rock as the first one ; and if Peter is the first rock he must also be the second. Unlike Oscar Cullmann, Confessional Lutherans and many other Protestant apologists agree that it 's meaningless to elaborate the meaning of Rock by looking at the Aramaic language, this is true that the Jews spoke mostly Aramaic at home, however in public they usually spoke Greek. The few Aramaic words spoken by Jesus in public were unusual and that is why they are noted as such. And most importantly the New Testament was revealed in Koine Greek, not Aramaic. Lutheran historians even report that the Catholic church itself did n't, at least unanimously, regard Peter as the Rock until the 1870s : Rome 's rule for explaining the Scriptures and determining doctrine is the Creed of Pius IV. This Creed binds Rome to explain the Scriptures only according to the unanimous consent of the Fathers. In the year 1870 when the Fathers gathered and the pope declared his infallibility, the cardinals were not in agreement on Matthew 16, 18. They had five different interpretations. Seventeen insisted, Peter is the rock. Sixteen held that Christ is the rock. Eight were emphatic that the whole apostolic college is the rock. Forty - four said, Peter 's faith is the rock, The remainder looked upon the whole body of believers as the rock. -- And yet Rome taught and still teaches that Peter is the rock. Eastern Orthodox Icon of Saint Peter, c 1500 The Eastern Orthodox Church regards Apostle Peter, together with Apostle Paul, as `` Preeminent Apostles ''. Another title used for Peter is Coryphaeus, which could be translated as `` Choir - director '', or lead singer. The church recognizes Apostle Peter 's leadership role in the early church, especially in the very early days at Jerusalem, but does not consider him to have had any `` princely '' role over his fellow Apostles. The New Testament is not seen by the Orthodox as supporting any extraordinary authority for Peter with regard to faith or morals. The Orthodox also hold that Peter did not act as leader at the Council of Jerusalem, but as merely one of a number who spoke. The final decision regarding the non-necessity of circumcision ( and certain prohibitions ) was spelled out by James, the Brother of the Lord ( though Catholics hold James merely reiterated and fleshed out what Peter had said, regarding the latter 's earlier divine revelation regarding the inclusion of Gentiles ). Eastern and Oriental Orthodox do not recognize the Bishop of Rome as the successor of St. Peter but the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople sends a delegation each year to Rome to participate in the celebration of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. In the Ravenna Document of 13 October 2007, the representatives of the Eastern Orthodox Church agreed that `` Rome, as the Church that ' presides in love ' according to the phrase of St. Ignatius of Antioch ( To the Romans, Prologue ), occupied the first place in the taxis, and that the bishop of Rome was therefore the protos among the patriarchs, if the Papacy unites with the Orthodox Church. They disagree, however, on the interpretation of the historical evidence from this era regarding the prerogatives of the bishop of Rome as protos, a matter that was already understood in different ways in the first millennium. '' With regard to Jesus ' words to Peter, `` Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church '', the Orthodox hold Christ is referring to the confession of faith, not the person of Peter as that upon which he will build the church. This is allegedly shown by the fact that the original Greek uses the feminine demonstrative pronoun when he says `` upon this rock '' ( ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ ) ; whereas, grammatically, if he had been referring to Peter, he would allegedly have used the masculine. This `` gender distinction '' argument is also held by some Protestants. Feast days In the Orthodox Daily Office every Thursday throughout the year is dedicated to the Holy Apostles, including St. Peter. There are also two feast days in the year which are dedicated to him : June 29, Feast of Saints Peter and Paul -- This is a major feast day and is preceded by a period of Lenten fasting known as the Apostles ' Fast January 16, Veneration of the Precious Chains of the Holy and All - Glorious Apostle Peter -- commemorating both the chains which Acts 12 : 1 -- 11 says miraculously fell from him, and the chains in which he was held before his martyrdom by Nero. Syriac Orthodox Church Saint Peter and the angel, by Antonio de Bellis The Fathers of the Syriac Orthodox Church tried to give a theological interpretation to the primacy of Apostle Peter. They were fully convinced of the unique office of Peter in the primitive Christian community. Ephrem, Aphrahat and Maruthas who were supposed to have been the best exponents of the early Syriac tradition unequivocally acknowledge the office of Peter. The Syriac Fathers, following the rabbinic tradition, call Jesus `` Kepha '' for they see `` rock '' in the Old Testament as a messianic Symbol ( yet the Old Maronite Syriacs of Lebanon still refer to Saint Peter as `` Saint Simon the Generous '' or Simon Karam `` ). When Christ gave his own name `` Kepha '' to Simon he was giving him participation in the person and office of Christ. Christ who is the Kepha and shepherd made Simon the chief shepherd in his place and gave him the very name Kepha and said that on Kepha he would build the Church. Aphrahat shared the common Syriac tradition. For him Kepha is in fact another name of Jesus, and Simon was given the right to share the name. The person who receives somebody else 's name also obtains the rights of the person who bestows the name. Aphrahat makes the stone taken from Jordan a type of Peter. He wrote : `` Jesus son of Nun set up the stones for a witness in Israel ; Jesus our Saviour called Simon Kepha Sarirto and set him as the faithful witness among nations ''. Again he wrote in his commentary on Deuteronomy that Moses brought forth water from `` rock '' ( Kepha ) for the people and Jesus sent Simon Kepha to carry his teachings among nations. God accepted him and made him the foundation of the Church and called him Kepha. When he speaks about the transfiguration of Christ he calls him Simon Peter, the foundation of the Church. Ephrem also shared the same view. In the Armenian version of De Virginitate records that Peter the rock shunned honour. In a mimro of Efrem found in Holy Week Liturgy points to the importance of Peter. Both Aphrahat and Ephrem represent the authentic tradition of the Syrian Church. The different orders of liturgies used for sanctification of Church buildings, marriage, ordination etcetera, reveal that the primacy of Peter is a part of living faith of the Church. New apostolic Church The New Apostolic Church, who believes in the re-established Apostle ministry, sees Peter as the first Chief Apostle. Church of Jesus Christ of latter - day saints Saint Peter by Vasco Fernandes The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints ( LDS Church ) teaches that Peter was the first leader of the early Christian church after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. While Mormons accept apostolic succession from Peter, they reject papal successors as illegitimate. In interpreting Matthew 16 : 13 -- 19, LDS Church leader Bruce R. McConkie stated, `` The things of God are known only by the power of his Spirit, '' and `` that which the world calls Mormonism is based upon the rock of revelation. '' In his April 1981 general conference address, McConkie identified the rock of which Jesus spoke as the rock of revelation : `` There is no other foundation upon which the Lord could build His Church and kingdom... Revelation : Pure, perfect, personal revelation -- this is the rock ! '' Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, recorded in multiple revelations that Peter appeared to him and Oliver Cowdery in 1829, near Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, in order to bestow the apostleship and keys of the kingdom as part of a restoration of priesthood authority. Islam Main article : Peter in Islam Muslims consider Jesus a prophet of God. The Qur'an also speaks of Jesus 's disciples but does not mention their names, instead referring to them as `` helpers to the prophet of God ''. Muslim exegesis and Qur'an commentary, however, names them and includes Peter among the disciples. An old tradition, which involves the legend of Habib the Carpenter, mentions that Peter was one of the three disciples sent to Antioch to preach to the people there. Shia Muslims see a parallel in the figure of Peter to Ali at Muhammad 's time. They look upon Ali as being the vicegerent, with Muhammad being the prophet ; likewise, they see Peter as the vicegerent, behind Jesus the prophet and Masih. Peter 's role as the first proper leader of the church is also seen by Shias to be a parallel to their belief in Ali as the first caliph after Muhammad. Bahá'í faith In his Advent of Divine Justice, Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, refers to Peter : `` Peter, '' ' Abdu'l - Bahá has testified, `` according to the history of the Church, was also incapable of keeping count of the days of the week. Whenever he decided to go fishing, he would tie up his weekly food into seven parcels, and every day he would eat one of them, and when he had reached the seventh, he would know that the Sabbath had arrived, and thereupon would observe it. '' If the Son of Man was capable of infusing into apparently so crude and helpless an instrument such potency as to cause, in the words of Bahá'u'lláh, `` the mysteries of wisdom and of utterance to flow out of his mouth, '' and to exalt him above the rest of His disciples, and render him fit to become His successor and the founder of His Church, how much more can the Father, Who is Bahá'u'lláh, empower the most puny and insignificant among His followers to achieve, for the execution of His purpose, such wonders as would dwarf the mightiest achievements of even the first apostle of Jesus Christ ! Writings Traditionally, two canonical epistles ( 1 and 2 Peter ) and several apocryphal works have been attributed to Peter. New Testament St Peter painted by Francesco del Cossa Epistles Main article : Authorship of the Petrine epistles The New Testament includes two letters ( epistles ) ascribed to Peter. Both demonstrate a high quality of cultured and urban Greek, at odds with the linguistic skill that would ordinarily be expected of an Aramaic - speaking fisherman, who would have learned Greek as a second or third language. The textual features of these two epistles are such that a majority of scholars doubt that they were written by the same hand. Some scholars argue that theological differences imply different sources, and point to the lack of references to 2 Peter among the early Church Fathers. Daniel B. Wallace ( who maintains that Peter was the author ) writes that, for many scholars, `` the issue of authorship is already settled, at least negatively : the apostle Peter did not write this letter '' and that `` the vast bulk of NT scholars adopts this perspective without much discussion ''. However, he later states, `` Although a very strong case has been made against Petrine authorship of 2 Peter, we believe it is deficient... Taken together, these external and internal arguments strongly suggest the traditional view, viz., that Peter was indeed the author of the second epistle which bears his name. '' Of the two epistles, the first epistle is considered the earlier. A number of scholars have argued that the textual discrepancies with what would be expected of the biblical Peter are due to it having been written with the help of a secretary or as an amanuensis. Jerome explains : The two Epistles attributed to St. Peter differ in style, character, and the construction of the words, which proves that according to the exigencies of the moment St. Peter made use of different interpreters ( Epistle 120 -- To Hedibia ) Some have seen a reference to the use of a secretary in the sentence : `` By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand ''. However New Testament scholar Bart D. Ehrman in his 2011 book Forged states that `` scholars now widely recognize that when the author indicates that he wrote the book ' through Silvanus ', he is indicating not the name of his secretary, but the person who was carrying his letter to the recipients. '' The letter refers to Roman persecution of Christians, apparently of an official nature. The Roman historian Tacitus and the biographer Suetonius do both record that Nero persecuted Christians, and Tacitus dates this to immediately after the fire that burned Rome in 64. Christian tradition, for example Eusebius of Caesarea ( History book 2, 24.1 ), has maintained that Peter was killed in Nero 's persecution, and thus had to assume that the Roman persecution alluded to in First Peter must be this Neronian persecution. On the other hand, many modern scholars argue that First Peter refers to the persecution of Christians in Asia Minor during the reign of the emperor Domitian ( 81 -- 96 ), as the letter is explicitly addressed to Jewish Christians from that region : Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to God 's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood : Grace and peace be yours in abundance. Those scholars who believe that the epistle dates from the time of Domitian argue that Nero 's persecution of Christians was confined to the city of Rome itself, and did not extend to the Asian provinces mentioned in 1 Pet 1 : 1 -- 2. The Second Epistle of Peter, on the other hand, appears to have been copied, in part, from the Epistle of Jude, and some modern scholars date its composition as late as c. 150. Some scholars argue the opposite, that the Epistle of Jude copied Second Peter, while others contend an early date for Jude and thus observe that an early date is not incompatible with the text. Many scholars have noted the similarities between the apocryphal Second Epistle of Clement ( 2nd century ) and Second Peter. Second Peter may be earlier than 150, there are a few possible references to it that date back to the 1st century or early 2nd century, e.g., 1 Clement written in c. AD 96, and the later church historian Eusebius wrote that Origen had made reference to the epistle before 250. Jerome says that Peter `` wrote two epistles which are called Catholic, the second of which, on account of its difference from the first in style, is considered by many not to be by him ''. ( De Viris Illustribus 1 ) But he himself received the epistle, and explained the difference in style and character and structure of words by the assumption that Peter used different interpreters in the composition of the two epistles ; and from his time onward the epistle was generally regarded as a part of the New Testament. Even in early times there was controversy over its authorship, and Second Peter was often not included in the biblical canon ; it was only in the 4th century that it gained a firm foothold in the New Testament, in a series of synods. In the east the Syriac Orthodox Church still did not admit it into the canon until the 6th century. Mark Traditionally, the Gospel of Mark was said to have been written by a person named John Mark, and that this person was an assistant to Peter, hence its content was traditionally seen as the closest to Peter 's viewpoint. According to Eusebius ' Ecclesiastical History, Papias recorded this belief from John the Presbyter : Mark having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately whatsoever he remembered. It was not, however, in exact order that he related the sayings or deeds of Christ. For he neither heard the Lord nor accompanied Him. But afterwards, as I said, he accompanied Peter, who accommodated his instructions to the necessities ( of his hearers ), but with no intention of giving a normal or chronological narrative of the Lord 's sayings. Wherefore Mark made no mistake in thus writing some things as he remembered them. For of one thing he took especial care, not to omit anything he had heard, and not to put anything fictional into the statements Clement of Alexandria in the fragments of his work Hypotyposes ( A.D. 190 ) preserved and cited by the historian Eusebius in his Church History ( VI, 14 : 6 ) writes that : As Peter had preached the Word publicly at Rome, and declared the Gospel by the Spirit, many who were present requested that Mark, who had followed him for a long time and remembered his sayings, should write them out. And having composed the Gospel he gave it to those who had requested it. Also Irenaeus wrote about this tradition : After their ( Peter and Paul 's ) passing, Mark also, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, transmitted to us in writing the things preached by Peter. Based on these quotes, and on the Christian tradition, the information in Mark 's gospel about Peter would be based on eyewitness material. The gospel itself is anonymous, and the above passages are the oldest surviving written testimony to its authorship. Pseudepigrapha and Apocrypha. The key as symbol of St. Peter There are also a number of other apocryphal writings, that have been either attributed to or written about Peter. These include : Gospel of Peter, a partially Docetic narrative that has survived in part Acts of Peter Acts of Peter and Andrew Acts of Peter and Paul Acts of Peter and the Twelve Gnostic Apocalypse of Peter A Letter of Peter to Philip, which was preserved in the Nag Hammadi library Apocalypse of Peter, which was considered as genuine by many Christians as late as the 4th century The Epistula Petri, the introductory letter ascribed to the Apostle Peter that appears at the beginning of at least one version of the Clementine literature Noncanonical sayings of Peter Miraculous catch of fish Two sayings are attributed to Peter in the gnostic Gospel of Thomas. In the first, Peter compares Jesus to a `` just messenger. '' In the second, Peter asks Jesus to `` make Mary leave us, for females do n't deserve life. '' In the Apocalypse of Peter, Peter holds a dialogue with Jesus about the parable of the fig tree and the fate of sinners. In the Gospel of Mary, whose text is largely fragmented, Peter appears to be jealous of `` Mary '' ( probably Mary Magdalene ). He says to the other disciples, `` Did He really speak privately with a woman and not openly to us ? Are we to turn about and all listen to her ? Did He prefer her to us ? '' In reply to this, Levi says `` Peter, you have always been hot tempered. '' Other noncanonical texts that attribute sayings to Peter include the Secret Book of James and the Acts of Peter. In the Fayyum Fragment, which dates to the end of the 3rd century, Jesus predicts that Peter will deny him three times before a cock crows on the following morning. The account is similar to that of the canonical gospels, especially the Gospel of Mark. It is unclear whether the fragment is an abridged version of the accounts in the synoptic gospels, or a source text on which they were based, perhaps the apocryphal Gospel of Peter. The fragmentary Gospel of Peter contains an account of the death of Jesus differing significantly from the canonical gospels. It contains little information about Peter himself, except that after the discovery of the empty tomb, `` I, Simon Peter, and Andrew my brother, took our fishing nets and went to the sea. '' Iconography Saint Peter sinking on water by Eero Järnefelt The earliest portrait of Peter dates back to the 4th century and was located in 2010. In traditional iconography, Peter has been shown very consistently since early Christian art as an oldish thick - set man with a `` slightly combative '' face and a short beard, and usually white hair, sometimes balding. He thus contrasts with Paul the Apostle who is bald except at the sides, with a longer beard and often black hair, and thinner in the face. One exception to this is in Anglo - Saxon art, where he typically lacks a beard. Both Peter and Paul are shown thus as early as the 4th century Catacombs of Marcellinus and Peter in Rome. Later in the Middle Ages his attribute is one or two large keys in his hand or hanging from his belt, first seen in the early 8th century. More than many medieval attributes, this continued to be depicted in the Renaissance and afterwards. By the 15th century Peter is more likely to be bald on the top of his head in the Western church, but he continues to have a good head of hair in Orthodox icons. The depiction of Saint Peter as literally the keeper of the gates of heaven, popular with modern cartoonists, is not found in traditional religious art, but Peter usually heads groups of saints flanking God in heaven, on the right hand side ( viewer 's left ) of God. Narrative images of Peter include several scenes from the Life of Christ where he is mentioned in the gospels, and he is often identifiable in scenes where his presence is not specifically mentioned. Usually he stands nearest to Christ. In particular, depictions of the Arrest of Christ usually include Peter cutting off the ear of one of the soldiers. Scenes without Jesus include his distinctive martyrdom, his rescue from prison, and sometimes his trial. In the Counter-Reformation scenes of Peter hearing the cock crow for the third time became popular, as a representation of repentance and hence the Catholic sacrament of Confession or Repentance. Patronage Medieval mosaic of Saint Peter in the Chora Church, Istanbul Icon of Saint Peter and Paul St. Peter, holding a key and a book, depicted in a medieval Welsh manuscript, 1390 -- 1400 Workers Bakers Bridge builders Butchers Fishermen Harvesters Cordwainers Horologists Locksmiths Cobblers Net makers Shipwrights Stationers Called for aid in Frenzy Foot problems Fever Longevity Institutions The Papacy The Patriarchate of Antioch Berchtesgaden Provostry Bishop Cotton Boys ' School, Bangalore Exeter College, Oxford Universalist Church Peterhouse, Cambridge, UK St Peter 's College, Oxford, UK St Peter 's College, Auckland, New Zealand St Peter 's School, York, UK Saint Peter 's University, New Jersey, USA Churches and Cathedrals The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter, Vatican City Bath Abbey York Minster List of churches dedicated to St Peter Locations Apalit Birżebbuġa Bremen Brgy. San Pedro, San Pablo City Calatrava Calbayog City Chartres Chimbote Cologne Davao Dunajská Streda Hinton on the Green Ilovik i Sveti Petar Jackson Köpenick Las Vegas Leuven Leiden Lessines Maralal Marquette Moissac Naumburg Obermarsberg Peterborough Philadelphia Poznań Providence Pubnico Regensburg Rio Grande do Sul Rome Póvoa de Varzim Saint Petersburg Saint Pierre and Miquelon San Pedro, Laguna San Pedro Soloma Scranton Seixal Municipality Sunderland Sintra Sint - Pieters - Rode Tielt Toa Baja Trier Umbria Worms Revisionist views Many Protestant scholars accept the traditional story of Peter 's martyrdom in Rome. Some Protestants, however, have rejected Peter 's martyrdom as a later invention, arguing that evidence of Peter exists only in biblical accounts. It has also been suggested that there was a serious division between Peter 's Jewish Christian party and Paul 's Hellenizing party, seen in e.g. the Incident at Antioch, which later Christian accounts have downplayed. Another revisionist view was developed by supporters of the Christ myth theory, which holds that the figure of Peter is largely a development from some mythological doorkeeper figures. According to Arthur Drews and G.A. Wells, if there was a historical Peter, then all that is known about him is the brief mentions in Galatians. In art Depictions of Saint Peter Peter tying to walk on water like Jesus, by François Boucher, 1766 The Release of St. Peter by Bernardo Strozzi, 1635 Jesus gives Peter the keys to Heaven by Pieter Paul Rubens, 1614 Peter Enthroned, by Arnolfo di Cambio ( 13th - century statue in St Peter 's Basilica, Rome ) The Miraculous Draught of Fishes, by Raphael, 1515 Jesus calling Simon Peter and Andrew by Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1308 - 1311 An apparition of the Apostle Peter to Saint Peter Nolasco, by Francisco Zurbarán, 1629 Alessandro Turchi, Saint Agatha Attended by Saint Peter and an Angel in Prison Fresco by Pietro Perugino in the Sistine Chapel See also Part of a series on Saint Peter In the New Testament Walking on water Confession Servant 's ear Denial Restoration Vision of a sheet Liberation Incident at Antioch Epistles 1 Peter 2 Peter Other Cross Sword Tomb Quo vadis ? Primacy In Judaism In Islam List of Catholic saints List of popes Peter and Paul Quo Vadis Saint Peter and Islam Saint Peter and Judaism Saint Peter 's Square Saint Peter 's tomb San Pietro in Vincoli St. Peter 's Basilica Sword of Saint Peter The Big Fisherman Notes ^ Jump up to : O'Connor, Daniel William ( 2013 ). `` Saint Peter the Apostle ''. Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. p. 5. Retrieved 12 April 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA : St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles ''. Jump up ^ Letter to Eulogius, Bishop of Alexandria ( Register of the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book VII, Epistle XL ) Jump up ^ Jn 1 : 42 Jump up ^ Matthew 16 : 16 Jump up ^ Mark 5 : 37 Jump up ^ Luke 22 : 54 -- 62 Jump up ^ Acts 2 : 14 -- 40 ^ Jump up to : Dale Martin 2009 ( lecture ). `` 24. Apocalyptic and Accommodation '' on YouTube. Yale University. Accessed July 22, 2013. Lecture 24 ( transcript ). Jump up ^ Chapman, Henry Palmer ( 1913 ). `` Fathers of the Church ''. In Herbermann, Charles. Catholic Encyclopedia. New York : Robert Appleton Company. Jump up ^ Thomas Patrick Halton, On Illustrious Men, v. 100, CUA Press, 1999, pp 5 -- 7 ISBN 0 - 8132 - 0100 - 4. Jump up ^ `` The Early Church Fathers '', Chapter 1, New Advent Jump up ^ Joseph A. Fitzmyer, `` Aramaic Kepha ' and Peter 's Name in the New Testament '' in Robert McLachlan Wilson ( ed. ), Text and Interpretation : Studies in the New Testament Presented to Matthew Black ( Cambridge University Press, 1979 ), p. 122 Jump up ^ Strong 's Concordance G2786 Jump up ^ Strong 's Concordance G4074 Jump up ^ A. Edward Siecienski, The Papacy and the Orthodox : Sources and History of a Debate ( Oxford University Press, 2017 ), section `` The Call and the Name '' Jump up ^ Marcus Jastrow Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature ( 1903 ), p. 634. Accessed 2017 - 11 - 27 Jump up ^ John Maclean, A Dictionary of the Dialects of Vernacular Syriac as Spoken by the Eastern Syriacs of Kurdistan, Northwest Persia, and the Plain of Moṣul ( Cambridge University Press, 1895 ), p. 124. Accessed 2017 - 11 - 27 Jump up ^ Pesch, Rudolf ( 1980 ). Simon - Petrus. Hiersemann, Stuttgart. p. 29 Jump up ^ The Teaching of Simon Cephas in the City of Rome ; The Diatessaron ^ Jump up to : `` Peter, St. '' F.L., Cross, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Oxford University Press, 2005 Jump up ^ His father 's name is given as ' Jonah ', although some manuscripts of John give his father 's name as John. Jump up ^ Raymond F. Collins, Accompanied by a Believing Wife : Ministry and Celibacy in the Earliest Christian Communities ( Liturgical Press 2013 ), pp. 89 -- 92 Jump up ^ `` 2BackToHomePage3 ''. Jump up ^ Matt. 26 : 51, Mk. 14 : 47, Lk. 22 : 50 Jump up ^ Harrington, Daniel J. `` Peter the Rock. '' America, August 18 -- 25, 2008. Accessed Oct. 9, 2009 : p. 30. Jump up ^ `` What did Jesus mean when he said, `` Upon this rock I will build my church '' ? ``. Bible.org. Retrieved 10 February 2015. Jump up ^ Rienecker, Fritz ; Rogers, Cleon ( 1976 ). Linguistic key to the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids MI : Regency Reference Library ( Zondervan Publishing House ). p. 49. ISBN 0 - 310 - 32050 - X. ^ Jump up to : May, Herbert G. and Bruce M. Metzger. The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha. 1977. Jump up ^ 1Cor 15 Jump up ^ 1Cor 15 : 3 -- 7 Jump up ^ See Matthew 28 : 8 -- 10, John 20 : 16 and Luke 24 : 13 -- 16. Jump up ^ Matt. 10 : 2 -- 4, Mk. 3 : 16 -- 19, Lk. 6 : 14 -- 16 Jump up ^ Matthew 17 : 1 ; Mark 9 : 2 ; Luke 9 : 28 Jump up ^ Mark 5 : 37 ; Luke 8 : 51 Jump up ^ Matthew 26 : 37 ; Mark 14 : 33 Jump up ^ Matthew 15 : 15 ; 19 : 27 ; Luke 12 : 41 ; John 6 : 67 -- 68 ^ Jump up to : `` Sermon by Leo the Great ( 440 -- 461 ) ''. Ccel.org. 2005 - 07 - 13. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 12. Jump up ^ `` Archbishop Stylianos of Australia ''. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 12. Jump up ^ `` Patriarch H.H. Ignatius Zakka I Iwas ''. Syrianchurch.org. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 12. Jump up ^ `` Syriac Orthodox Church in Canada -- Identity of the Church ''. Jump up ^ Myllykoski, Matti. `` James the Just in History and Tradition : Perspectives of Past and Present Scholarship ( Part I ) ''. Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, Finland. Retrieved 2014 - 04 - 02. James the Just, the brother of Jesus, is known from the New Testament as the chief apostle of the Torah - obedient Christians. Jump up ^ `` Church History Book II, Chapter I, quoting Clement of Alexandria 's Sixth book of Hypotyposes ''. Newadvent.org. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 12. Jump up ^ `` Bible Gateway passage : Acts 1 - New Revised Standard Version ''. Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2017 - 11 - 30. Jump up ^ `` Bible Gateway passage : Acts 5 - New Revised Standard Version ''. Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2017 - 11 - 30. Jump up ^ `` Bible Gateway passage : Acts 3 - New Revised Standard Version ''. Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2017 - 11 - 30. ^ Jump up to : `` Bible Gateway passage : Acts 9 - New Revised Standard Version ''. Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2017 - 11 - 30. Jump up ^ `` Bible Gateway passage : Acts 10 - New Revised Standard Version ''. Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2017 - 11 - 30. Jump up ^ John Vidmar, The Catholic Church through the ages : a history. pp. 39 -- 40. Books.google.com. July 2005. ISBN 978 - 0 - 8091 - 4234 - 7. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 12. Jump up ^ see Incident at Antioch ; see also the section below headed `` Road to Rome : Antioch and Corinth '' ^ Jump up to : Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto : Mayfield. 1985. ( 2002 edition ) ^ Jump up to : Franzen, p. 26 ^ Jump up to : 16 ^ Jump up to : `` Paul, St '' Cross, F.L., ed. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. New York : Oxford University Press. 2005 ^ Jump up to : Pennington, p. 2 ^ Jump up to : `` Papal Basilica -- Saint Paul Outside - the - Walls ''. Archived from the original on 20 July 2009. ^ Jump up to : Historians debate whether the Roman government distinguished between Christians and Jews prior to Nerva 's modification of the Fiscus Judaicus in 96. From then on, practising Jews paid the tax, Christians did not ^ Jump up to : Wylen, pp. 190 -- 192 ^ Jump up to : Dunn, pp. 33 -- 34 Jump up ^ Louise Ropes Loomis, The Book of Popes ( Liber Pontificalis ). Merchantville, NJ : Evolution Publishing. ISBN 1 - 889758 - 86 - 8 ( Reprint of the 1916 edition ). Jump up ^ This is provided in Downey, A History of Antioch, pp. 583 -- 586. This evidence is accepted by M. Lapidge, among others, see Bischoff and Lapidge, Biblical Commentaries from the Canterbury School ( Cambridge, 1994 ) p. 16. Lastly, see Finegan, The Archaeology of the New Testament, pp. 63 -- 71. Jump up ^ Origen 's homilies on Luke VI, 4. Patrologia Graeca 13 : 1814 Jump up ^ Eusebius. `` Church History Book III, Chapter 36 ''. Retrieved 1 June 2015. Jump up ^ Eusebius, in his Chronicle ( A.D. 303 ) ( Chronicle, 44 A.D. Patrologia Graeca 19 : 539 ). Jump up ^ Eusebius. `` Church History Book III Chapter 36 : 2 ''. newadvent.org. Retrieved 5 June 2015. Jump up ^ Eusebius. `` Church History Book III Chapter 22 ''. newadvent.org. Retrieved 5 June 2015. Jump up ^ Eusebius. `` Church History Book I, Chapter 12 : 2 ''. Retrieved 1 June 2015. Jump up ^ ( ἡ δ  ̓ ἱστορία παρὰ Κλήμεντι κατὰ τὴν πέμπτην τῶν Ὑποτυπώσεων ἐν ᾗ καὶ Κηφᾶν, περὶ οὗ φησιν ὁ Παῦλος `` ὅτε δὲ ἦλθεν Κηφᾶς εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν, κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτῷ ἀντέστην '', ἕνα φησὶ γεγονέναι τῶν ἑβδομήκοντα μαθητῶν, ὁμώνυμον Πέτρῳ τυγχάνοντα τῷ ἀποστόλῳ. ) Jump up ^ Homilies, 2.1 ; Recognitions, 2.1 Jump up ^ Lapham, An Introduction to the New Testament Apocrypha ( London : T&T Clark International, 2003 ), p. 76 Jump up ^ Eusebius. `` Church History Book II, Chapter 14 -- 15 ''. Retrieved 1 June 2015. Jump up ^ Lapham, Introduction, p. 72 Jump up ^ `` The Acts of Peter ''. Jump up ^ of Corinth, Dionysius. `` Fragments from a Letter to the Roman Church Chapter III ''. www.earlychristianwritings.com. Retrieved 1 June 2015. Jump up ^ `` ANF01. The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus ''. ^ Jump up to : Eusebius of Caesarea. `` Church History Book VI, Chapter 14 : 6 ''. Retrieved 1 June 2015. ^ Jump up to : saint, Jerome. `` De Viris Illustribus ( On Illustrious Men ) Chapter 1 ''. newadvent.org. Retrieved 5 June 2015. Jump up ^ Lucius Caecilius Firmianus, Lactantius. `` Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died Chapter 2 ''. ccel.org. Retrieved 1 June 2015. Jump up ^ `` Was Peter in Rome ? ''. Catholic Answers. 10 August 2004. Archived from the original on 7 December 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2014. if Peter never made it to the capital, he still could have been the first pope, since one of his successors could have been the first holder of that office to settle in Rome. After all, if the papacy exists, it was established by Christ during his lifetime, long before Peter is said to have reached Rome. There must have been a period of some years in which the papacy did not yet have its connection to Rome. Jump up ^ Brown, Raymond E. & Meier, John P. ( 1983 ). Antioch and Rome : New Testament Cradles of Christianity. Paulist Press. p. 98. ISBN 0 - 8091 - 0339 - 7. As for Peter, we have no knowledge at all of when he came to Rome and what he did there before he was martyred. Certainly he was not the original missionary who brought Christianity to Rome ( and therefore not the founder of the church of Rome in that sense ). There is no serious proof that he was the bishop ( or local ecclesiastical officer ) of the Roman church -- a claim not made till the third century. Most likely he did not spend any major time at Rome before 58 when Paul wrote to the Romans, and so it may have been only in the 60s and relatively shortly before his martyrdom that Peter came to the capital. Jump up ^ Cullmann, Oscar ( 1962 ). Peter : Disciple, Apostle, Martyr, 2nd ed. Westminster Press. p. 234. In the New Testament ( Jerusalem ) is the only church of which we hear that Peter stood at its head. Of other episcopates of Peter we know nothing certain. Concerning Antioch, indeed... there is a tradition, first appearing in the course of the second century, according to which Peter was its bishop. The assertion that he was Bishop of Rome we first find at a much later time. From the second half of the second century we do possess texts that mention the apostolic foundation of Rome, and at this time, which is indeed rather late, this foundation is traced back to Peter and Paul, an assertion that can not be supported historically. Even here, however, nothing is said as yet of an episcopal office of Peter. Jump up ^ Chadwick, Henry ( 1993 ). The Early Church, rev. ed. Penguin Books. p. 18. No doubt Peter 's presence in Rome in the sixties must indicate a concern for Gentile Christianity, but we have no information whatever about his activity or the length of his stay there. That he was in Rome for twenty - five years is third - century legend. Jump up ^ J.N.D. Kelly, Oxford Dictionary of the Popes ( Oxford University Press, 1996 ), p. 6. `` Ignatius assumed that Peter and Paul wielded special authority over the Roman church, while Irenaeus claimed that they jointly founded it and inaugurated its succession of bishops. Nothing, however, is known of their constitutional roles, least of all Peter 's as presumed leader of the community. '' Jump up ^ Building Unity, Ecumenical Documents IV ( Paulist Press, 1989 ), p. 130. `` There is increasing agreement that Peter went to Rome and was martyred there, but we have no trustworthy evidence that Peter ever served as the supervisor or bishop of the local church in Rome. '' Jump up ^ `` most scholars, both Catholic and Protestant, concur that Peter died in Rome '' Keener, Craig S., The Gospel of Matthew : A Socio - Rhetorical Commentary, p. 425, n. 74, 2009 Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company Jump up ^ O'Connor, Daniel William ( 2013 ). `` Saint Peter the Apostle ''. Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. p. 5. Retrieved 12 April 2013. ( M ) any scholars... accept Rome as the location of the martyrdom and the reign of Nero as the time. ^ Jump up to : Pieter Willem van der Horst, review of Otto Zwierlein, Petrus in Rom : die literarischen Zeugnisse. Mit einer kritischen Edition der Martyrien des Petrus und Paulus auf neuer handschriftlicher Grundlage, Berlin : Walter de Gruyter, 2009, in Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2010.03. 25. ^ Jump up to : Bloggers, Staff. `` '' Petrus im Rom '' or Peter in Rome revisited ``. Jump up ^ `` 1 Peter 5 KJV ''. biblehub.com. Jump up ^ Zwierlein, Otto : Petrus in Rom : Due literarischen Zeugnisse, 2nd edition. Berlin, Walter de Gruyter, 2010 Jump up ^ Zwierlein, Otto : Petrus und Paulus in Jerusalem und Rom. Vom Neuen Testament zu den apokryphen Apostelakten. Berlin : Walter de Gruyter, 2013. ISBN 978 - 3110303315. Jump up ^ James Dunn, review of Zwierlein 2009, in Review of Biblical Literature 2010. Jump up ^ A. Edward Siecienski, The Papacy and the Orthodox : Sources and History of a Debate ( Oxford University Press 2017 ), pp. 48 -- 49 Jump up ^ `` Has St. Peter ever been in Rome ? '' ( PDF ). Jump up ^ https://www.scripturecatholic.com/the-primacy-of-peter/ Jump up ^ Robinson, D.F., ' Where and When did Peter die ? ', Journal of Biblical Literature Vol 64 ( 1945 ), supported by Smaltz, W.M., Did Peter die in Jerusalem ?, Journal of Biblical Literature Vol. 71, No. 4 ( Dec., 1952 ), pp. 211 -- 216 accessed 31 August 2015 Jump up ^ Caius. `` Ante - Nicene Fathers Vol. V, Fragments of Caius '' -- via Wikisource. Jump up ^ Ignatius of Antioch. `` The Epistle of Ignatius to the Romans ''. newadvent.org. Retrieved 15 August 2016. Jump up ^ Rainer Riesner, Paul 's Early Period : Chronology, Mission Strategy, Theology ( Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1998 ) p65 Jump up ^ Apocryphal Acts of Peter Chapter 37. Jump up ^ Kirsch, Johann Peter ( 1911 ). `` St. Peter ''. In Herbermann, Charles. Catholic Encyclopedia. 11. New York : Robert Appleton Company. Jump up ^ of Rome, Clement. `` The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians ''. earlychristianwritings.com. Retrieved 1 June 2015. Jump up ^ Quintus Septimius Florens, Tertullian. `` Prescription Against Heretics Chapter XXXVI ''. ccel.org. Retrieved 1 June 2015. `` Since, moreover, you are close upon Italy, you have Rome, from which there comes even into our own hands the very authority ( of apostles themselves ). How happy is its church, on which apostles poured forth all their doctrine along with their blood ; where Peter endures a passion like his Lord 's ; where Paul wins his crown in a death like John 's ( the Baptist ) ; where the Apostle John was first plunged, unhurt, into boiling oil, and thence remitted to his island - exile. '' Jump up ^ Quintus Septimius Florens, Tertullian. `` Scorpiace Chapter 15 ''. newadvent.org. Retrieved 6 June 2015. Jump up ^ Granger Ryan & Helmut Ripperger, The Golden Legend Of Jacobus De Voragine Part One, 1941. Jump up ^ of Alexandria, Peter. `` Canonical Epistle on Penitence Canon 9 ''. newadvent.org. Retrieved 3 June 2015. Jump up ^ The Acts of Peter, by M.R. James Jump up ^ Flavius, Josephus. `` Jewish War, Book V Chapter 11 ''. ccel.org. Retrieved 1 June 2015. Jump up ^ The Holy Bible, according to the authorized version ( A.D. 1611 ) -- Frederic Charles Cook -- J. Murray, 1881 -- page 350 Jump up ^ Vatican Cardinal Angelo Comastri ( interviewee ) ( 2011 ). Secret Access : The Vatican ( Video ) ( in English and Italian ). Vatican City, Rome, Italy : A&E Studio Entertainment. Event occurs at 94 minutes. This is the holiest site in the Basilica, where the Apostle Peter was crucified and his blood shed to the ground Jump up ^ presbyter, Caius ( Gaius ). `` Dialogue or Disputation Against Proclus ( A.D. 198 ) in Eusebius, Church History Book II Chapter 25 : 6 -- 7 ''. newadvent.org. Retrieved 1 June 2015. Jump up ^ `` CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA : Tomb of St. Peter ''. Jump up ^ `` The Papacy and the Vatican Palace ''. Jump up ^ Wall, J. Charles. ( 1912 ), Porches and Fonts. Pub. London : Wells Gardner and Darton. P. 295 ; `` Venerable Bede, Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum : The Ecclesiastical History of the English People. Book III, Chapter 29 ''. Fordham.edu. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 12. Jump up ^ Walsh, The Bones of St. Peter : A 1st Full Account of the Search for the Apostle 's Body Jump up ^ Finegan, The Archeology of the New Testament, pp. 368 -- 370. Jump up ^ `` The Bones of St. Peter ''. Saintpetersbasilica.org. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 12. Jump up ^ Associated Press ( 2013 - 11 - 24 ). `` Vatican displays Saint Peter 's bones for the first time ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 2013 - 11 - 24. Jump up ^ `` Women in scripture : a dictionary of named and unnamed women in the Hebrew ''. Jump up ^ L. Michael White, Understanding the Book of Revelation, PBS Helmut Köster, Introduction to the New Testament, Volume 2, 260 Pheme Perkins, First and Second Peter, James, and Jude, 16 James L. Resseguie, Revelation unsealed : a narrative critical approach to John 's Apocalypse, 138 Watson E. Mills, Mercer Commentary on the New Testament, 1340 Nancy McDarby, The Collegeville Bible Handbook, 349 Carol L. Meyers, Toni Craven, Ross Shepard Kraemer Women in scripture : a dictionary of named and unnamed women in the Hebrew, p. 528 David M. Carr, Colleen M. Conway, Introduction to the Bible : Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts, 353 Larry Joseph Kreitzer Gospel images in fiction and film : on reversing the hermeneutical flow, 61 By Mary Beard, John A. North, S.R.F. Price Religions of Rome : A history, David M. Rhoads, From every people and nation : the book of Revelation in intercultural perspective, 174 Charles T. Chapman, The message of the book of Revelation, 114 Norman Cheadle, The ironic apocalypse in the novels of Leopoldo Marechal, 36 Peter M.J. Stravinskas, The Catholic answer book, Volume 1, 18 Catherine Keller, God and power : counter-apocalyptic journeys, 59 Brian K. Blount, Revelation : A Commentary, 346 Frances Carey, The Apocalypse and the shape of things to come, 138 Richard Dellamora, Postmodern apocalypse : theory and cultural practice at the end, 117 A.N. Wilson, Paul : The Mind of the Apostle, 11 Gerd Theissen, John Bowden, Fortress introduction to the New Testament, 166 Jump up ^ 2 Esdras / 4 Esdras ; see the article on the naming conventions of the Books of Ezra Jump up ^ `` Bible, King James Version ''. Jump up ^ `` THE BOOK OF THE APOCALYPSE OF BARUCH THE ''. Jump up ^ `` Book V ''. Jump up ^ `` Knowing the End From the Beginning ''. google.ca. Jump up ^ `` The First Letter of Peter ''. google.ca. Jump up ^ ( the King James Version Bible -- the New International Version Bible uses the words `` seven hills '' ) Jump up ^ Wall, R.W. ( 1991 ). New International biblical commentary : Revelation ( 207 ). Peabody, MA : Hendrickson Publishers. Jump up ^ Bratcher, R.G., & Hatton, H. ( 1993 ). A handbook on the Revelation to John. UBS handbook series ; Helps for translators ( 248 ). New York : United Bible Societies. Jump up ^ Davis, C.A. ( 2000 ). Revelation. The College Press NIV commentary ( 322 ). Joplin, Mo. : College Press Pub. Jump up ^ Mounce, R.H. ( 1997 ). The Book of Revelation. The New International Commentary on the New Testament ( 315 ). Grand Rapids, MI : Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Jump up ^ Beckwith, Isbon T. The Apocalypse of John. New York : MacMillan, 1919 ; reprinted, Eugene : Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2001. Jump up ^ `` She Who Restores the Roman Empire ''. google.ca. Jump up ^ `` Babylon in the New Testament ''. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Online. Jump up ^ Strabo. Geography 16.1. 5 Jump up ^ Eusebius. `` Church History Book II Chapter 15 : 2 ''. hypotyposeis.org & newadvent.org. Retrieved 4 June 2015. Jump up ^ Brown, Raymond E., Introduction to the New Testament, Anchor Bible, 1997, ISBN 0 - 385 - 24767 - 2. p. 767 `` the pseudonymity of II Pet is more certain than that of any other NT work. '' ^ Jump up to : Joyce, G.H. ( 1913 ). `` Pope ''. In Herbermann, Charles. Catholic Encyclopedia. New York : Robert Appleton Company. Jump up ^ Wilken, p. 281, quote : `` Some ( Christian communities ) had been founded by Peter, the disciple Jesus designated as the founder of his church... Once the position was institutionalized, historians looked back and recognized Peter as the first pope of the Christian church in Rome '' Jump up ^ `` Greek New Testament '' Greek New Testament. John xxi 11 Jun. 2010. Jump up ^ Allen C. Myers, ed. ( 1987 ). `` Aramaic ''. The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary. Grand Rapids, MI : William B. Eerdmans. p. 72. ISBN 0 - 8028 - 2402 - 1. It is generally agreed that Aramaic was the common language of Palestine in the first century AD. Jesus and his disciples spoke the Galilean dialect, which was distinguished from that of Jerusalem ( Matt. 26 : 73 ) Jump up ^ `` Peshitta Matthew 16 '' ( PDF ). Jump up ^ `` Strong 's Greek : 2786. Κηφᾶς ( Képhas ) -- 9 Occurrences ''. Jump up ^ `` John 1 : 42 Greek Text Analysis ''. Jump up ^ ( biblehub.com/greek/2786.htm Cephas ( Aramaic for rock ) ) Jump up ^ ( Hebrew : כֵּיפׇא כֵּיף ‎ ) is an indirect transliteration of the Syriac ( ܟ݁ܺܐܦ݂ܳܐ ), ( Greek : Κηφᾶς ) is a direct transliteration of the Syriac ( ܟ݁ܺܐܦ݂ܳܐ ), and ( Hebrew : כֵּיפׇא כֵּיף ‎ ) is a direct transliteration of the Greek. The Hebrew word ( Hebrew : כאפא ‎ ) is also a direct transliteration of the Syriac. ( cƒ. Interlinear Peshitta Aramaic New Testament Bible Matthew xvi. 18 Archived 24 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine. ). Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 19 November 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2010. `` And what does Kepha mean ? It means a rock, the same as petra ( It does n't mean a little stone or a pebble ) What Jesus said to Simon in Matthew 16 : 18 was this : ' You are Kepha, and on this kepha I will build my Church. ' Jump up ^ Basil li. De poenit. cƒ. Matth. v. 14 ; Luke xxii. 19 ^ Jump up to : `` Peter the Rock ''. Catholic.com. 10 August 2004. Archived from the original on 19 November 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2010. Jump up ^ `` The Preaching of Mattai, chapter 16 '', Peshitta Aramaic / English Interlinear New Testament ( PDF ), retrieved 2014 - 04 - 02 Jump up ^ Veselin Kesich ( 1992 ). `` Peter 's Primacy in the New Testament and the Early Tradition '' in The Primacy of Peter. St. Vladimir 's Seminary Press. pp. 61 -- 6. Jump up ^ Catechism of the Catholic Church, Articles 424 and 552 Jump up ^ Spectrum Magazine : On Becoming a Pebble : The Name God Gave Simon Jump up ^ Did Jesus really say he would build his church on Peter ? Petros or Petra ? Jump up ^ Patrick Madrid, Bam ! Bam ! The `` Pebbles '' Argument Goes Down or Catholic Answers Magazine, Peter the Rock Jump up ^ translation by R.C. Seaton of Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica, 3 : 1365 -- 1367 : λάζετο δ  ̓ ἐκ πεδίοιο μέγαν περιηγέα πέτρον, δεινὸν Ἐνυαλίου σόλον Ἄρεος : οὔ κέ μιν ἄνδρες αἰζηοὶ πίσυρες γαίης ἄπο τυτθὸν ἄειραν. Jump up ^ Chadwick, The Early Christian Church. p. 237 p. 238 Jump up ^ Mathison, Keith A., The Shape of Sola Scriptura, pp. 184 -- 5. Jump up ^ `` Peter 's Primacy ''. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Jump up ^ Rykle Borger, `` Remarks of an Outsider about Bauer 's Worterbuch, BAGD, BDAG, and Their Textual Basis, '' Biblical Greek Language and Lexicography : Essays in Honor of Frederick W. Danker, Bernard A. Tayler ( et al. eds. ) pp. 32 -- 47. Jump up ^ `` WELS Topical Q&A : Responses to previous questions ''. Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. 8 August 2013. Archived from the original on 8 August 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2015. ^ Jump up to : Monday, Dec. 07, 1953 ( 1953 - 12 - 07 ). `` Religion : Peter & the Rock ''. TIME. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 12. CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list ( link ) Jump up ^ D.A. Carson in The Expositor 's Bible Commentary ( Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1984 ). Jump up ^ Jesus, Peter & the Keys : A Scriptural Handbook on the Papacy Jump up ^ The Doctrine of Church and Ministry in the Life of the Church Today Archived 3 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Cross-Cultural And Multicultural Ministry In the New Testament Archived 3 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` SOME THOUGHTS ON MATTHEW 16 : 18 ''. Jump up ^ Eckert, Harold H. `` The Specific Functions of the Church in the World '' ( PDF ). Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015. Jump up ^ John Meyendorff, et al. ( 1963 ), The Primacy of Peter in the Orthodox Church ( St. Vladimir 's Seminary Press, Crestwood NY, ISBN 978 - 0 - 88141 - 125 - 6 ) Jump up ^ Holy Apostles Convent ( 1999 ) The Orthodox New Testament, Vol. I : The Holy Gospels ( Dormition Skete, Buena Vista CO, ISBN 0 - 944359 - 13 - 2 ) p. 105 Jump up ^ `` '' Primacy of St. Peter '' -- by Dr. Thomas Athanasius ``. Syrianchurch.org. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 12. Jump up ^ McConkie, Bruce R. ( May 1981 ), `` Upon This Rock '', Ensign, LDS Church Jump up ^ McConkie, Bruce R. ( July 1973 ), `` The Rock of Revelation '', Ensign, LDS Church Jump up ^ `` Christ built Church on rock of revelation '', Church News, March 30, 1991 Jump up ^ `` Doctrine & Covenants 27 : 12 -- 13 ''. Scriptures.lds.org. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 12. Jump up ^ `` Doctrine & Covenants 128 : 20 -- 21 ''. Scriptures.lds.org. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 12. Jump up ^ Qur'an 3 : 49 -- 53 Jump up ^ Historical Dictionary of Prophets In Islam And Judaism, Brandon M. Wheeler, Disciples of Christ : `` Muslim exegesis identifies the disciples as Peter, Andrew, Matthew, Thomas, Philip, John, James, Bartholomew, and Simon '' Jump up ^ Hughes Dictionary of Islam, Habib the Carpenter Jump up ^ No god but God : The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, Reza Aslan, Dictionary : Simon Peter Jump up ^ Effendi, Shoghi ( 1938 ). `` Dearly beloved friends ! I have attempted, in the beginning... ''. The Advent of Divine Justice. Wilmette, Illinois, USA : Bahá'í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0 - 87743 - 195 - 7. Jump up ^ Second Peter : Introduction, Argument, and Outline. Archive date : 9 December 2003. Access date : 19 August 2013. ^ Jump up to : Vander Heeren, Achille ( 1911 ). `` Epistles of St. Peter ''. In Herbermann, Charles. Catholic Encyclopedia. 11. New York : Robert Appleton Company. ^ Jump up to : saint, Jerome. `` Epistle 120 -- To Hedibia Question 11 ''. tertullian.org. Retrieved 9 June 2015. Jump up ^ Ehrman, Bart D. ( 2011 ). Forged. HarperOne, HarperCollins. p. 76. ISBN 978 - 0 - 06 - 201262 - 3. Jump up ^ Eusebius. `` Church History Book VI, Chapter 25 ''. newadvent.org. Retrieved 11 June 2015. Jump up ^ saint, Jerome. `` De Viris Illustribus ( On Illustrious Men ) Chapter 1 ''. newadvent.org. Retrieved 9 June 2015. Jump up ^ Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 3.39. 14 -- 16 Jump up ^ Irenaeus, Against Heresies, III. 1.2. ; quoted by Eusebius in Ecclesiastical History, book 5, 7.6 Jump up ^ `` Gospel of Thomas 13 ''. Archived from the original on 13 August 2007. Jump up ^ `` Gospel of Thomas 114 ''. Archived from the original on 13 August 2007. Jump up ^ `` Apocalypse of Peter ''. Jump up ^ `` Gospel of Mary 9 : 4 ''. Jump up ^ `` Gospel of Mary 9 : 6 ''. Jump up ^ Das Evangelium nach Petrus. Text, Kontexte, Intertexte. Edited by Thomas J. Kraus and Tobias Nicklas. ( Texte und Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der altchristlichen Literatur. Archiv für die Ausgabe der Griechischen Christlichen Schiftsteller der ersten Jahrhunderte ( TU ), 158. ) VIII - 384 pages. Berlin -- New York : Walter de Gruyter, 2007. ISBN 978 - 3 - 11 - 019313 - 8. Jump up ^ `` Gospel of Peter 14 : 3 ''. Cygnus-study.com. Archived from the original on 17 September 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2010. Jump up ^ `` Oldest known images of apostles found ''. CNN.com. Retrieved 17 November 2013. Jump up ^ Higgitt, John, `` The Iconography of Saint Peter in Anglo - Saxon England, and Saint Cuthbert 's Coffin '', pp. 267 -- 272, 270 quoted, in : Bonner, Gerald, Rollason, David & Stancliffe, Clare, eds., St. Cuthbert, his Cult and his Community to AD 1200. Woodbridge : Boydell and Brewer, 1989 ISBN 0 - 85115 - 610 - X ISBN 9780851156101, google books Jump up ^ Higgitt, p. 276 Jump up ^ White, L. Michael ( 2004 ). From Jesus to Christianity. HarperSanFrancisco. pp. 170. ISBN 0 - 06 - 052655 - 6. Jump up ^ `` Arthur Drews -- The Legend of St. Peter ''. Egodeath.com. 2005 - 10 - 10. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 12. Jump up ^ George Albert Wells, `` St. Peter as Bishop of Rome '' External links Listen to this article ( info / dl ) This audio file was created from a revision of the article `` Saint Peter '' dated 10 November 2013, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ( Audio help ) More spoken articles Church Fathers on the Peter 's Primacy Church Fathers on Peter 's Successors The Life & Miracles of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles Etymology of Peter The Jewish St Peter Jewish Encyclopedia : Simon Cephas Veneration of the Precious Chains of the Holy and All - Glorious Apostle Peter Orthodox icon and synaxarion The Holy Glorious and All - Praised Leader of the Apostles, Peter icon and synaxarion The Holy Glorious and All - Praised Leader of the Apostles, Peter & Paul sermon of Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo Catholic response to Protestant claims that Peter never visited Rome stpetersbasilica.org Books on St. Peter 's Basilica in Rome Titles of the Great Christian Church New creation Pope before 64 Succeeded by Linus New creation Bishop of Antioch 37 -- 53 Succeeded by Evodius Twelve Apostles of Jesus Andrew Bartholomew James of Alphaeus the Less the Just James of Zebedee the Greater John Beloved Evangelist Patmos Judas Iscariot replaced by 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Gelasius I Anastasius II Symmachus Hormisdas John I Felix IV Boniface II John II Agapetus I Silverius Vigilius Pelagius I John III Benedict I Pelagius II Gregory I Sabinian Boniface III Boniface IV Adeodatus I Boniface V Honorius I Severinus John IV Theodore I Martin I Eugene I Vitalian Adeodatus II Donus Agatho Leo II Benedict II John V Conon Sergius I John VI John VII Sisinnius Constantine Gregory II Gregory III Zachary Stephen II Paul I Stephen III Adrian I Leo III 9th -- 12th centuries Papal selection before 1059 Saeculum obscurum ( 904 -- 964 ) Crescentii era ( 974 -- 1012 ) Tusculan Papacy ( 1012 -- 1044 / 1048 ) Imperial Papacy ( 1048 -- 1257 ) Stephen IV Paschal I Eugene II Valentine Gregory IV Sergius II Leo IV Benedict III Nicholas I Adrian II John VIII Marinus I Adrian III Stephen V Formosus Boniface VI Stephen VI Romanus Theodore II John IX Benedict IV Leo V Sergius III Anastasius III Lando John X Leo VI Stephen VII John XI Leo VII Stephen VIII Marinus II Agapetus II John XII Benedict V Leo VIII John XIII Benedict VI Benedict VII John XIV John XV Gregory V Sylvester II John XVII John XVIII Sergius IV Benedict VIII John XIX Benedict IX Sylvester III Benedict IX Gregory VI Clement II Benedict IX Damasus II Leo IX Victor II Stephen IX Nicholas II Alexander II Gregory VII Victor III Urban II Paschal II Gelasius II Callixtus II Honorius II Innocent II Celestine II Lucius II Eugene III Anastasius IV Adrian IV Alexander III Lucius III Urban III Gregory VIII Clement III Celestine III Innocent III 13th -- 16th centuries Viterbo ( 1257 -- 1281 ) Orvieto ( 1262 -- 1297 ) Perugia ( 1228 -- 1304 ) Avignon Papacy ( 1309 -- 1378 ) Western Schism ( 1378 -- 1417 ) Renaissance Papacy ( 1417 -- 1534 ) Reformation Papacy ( 1534 -- 1585 ) Baroque Papacy ( 1585 -- 1689 ) Honorius III Gregory IX Celestine IV Innocent IV Alexander IV Urban IV Clement IV Gregory X Innocent V Adrian V John XXI Nicholas III Martin IV Honorius IV Nicholas IV Celestine V Boniface VIII Benedict XI Clement V John XXII Benedict XII Clement VI Innocent VI Urban V Gregory XI Urban VI Boniface IX Innocent VII Gregory XII Martin V Eugene IV Nicholas V Callixtus III Pius II Paul II Sixtus IV Innocent VIII Alexander VI Pius III Julius II Leo X Adrian VI Clement VII Paul III Julius III Marcellus II Paul IV Pius IV Pius V Gregory XIII Sixtus V Urban VII Gregory XIV Innocent IX Clement VIII 17th -- 20th centuries Revolutionary Papacy ( 1775 -- 1848 ) Roman Question ( 1870 -- 1929 ) Vatican City ( 1929 -- present ) World War II ( 1939 -- 1945 ) Cold War ( 1945 -- 1991 ) Leo XI Paul V Gregory XV Urban VIII Innocent X Alexander VII Clement IX Clement X Innocent XI Alexander VIII Innocent XII Clement XI Innocent XIII Benedict XIII Clement XII Benedict XIV Clement XIII Clement XIV Pius VI Pius VII Leo XII Pius VIII Gregory XVI Pius IX Leo XIII Pius X Benedict XV Pius XI Pius XII John XXIII Paul VI John Paul I John Paul II 21st century Benedict XVI Francis History of the papacy Antiquity and Early Middle Ages During the Roman Empire ( until 493 ) Under Constantine ( 312 -- 337 ) Ostrogothic Papacy ( 493 -- 537 ) Byzantine Papacy ( 537 -- 752 ) Frankish Papacy ( 756 -- 857 ) Saeculum obscurum ( 904 -- 964 ) Crescentii era ( 974 -- 1012 ) High and Late Middle Ages Tusculan Papacy ( 1012 -- 1044 / 1048 ) Imperial Papacy ( 1048 -- 1257 ) Wandering Papacy Viterbo, 1257 -- 1281 Orvieto, 1262 -- 1297 Perugia, 1228 -- 1304 Avignon Papacy ( 1309 -- 1378 ) Western Schism ( 1378 -- 1417 ) Early Modern and Modern Era Renaissance Papacy ( 1417 -- 1534 ) Reformation Papacy ( 1534 -- 1585 ) Baroque Papacy ( 1585 -- 1689 ) Revolutionary Papacy ( 1775 -- 1848 ) Roman Question ( 1870 -- 1929 ) Vatican City ( 1929 -- present ) WWII ( 1939 -- 1945 ) Book Pope portal Catholicism portal Other articles relating to Saint Peter List of Patriarchs of Antioch Before 518 Peter I ( c. 37 -- c. 53 ) Evodius ( c. 53 -- c. 69 ) Ignatius ( c. 70 -- c. 107 ) Heron ( 107 - 127 ) Cornelius ( 127 - 154 ) Eros ( 154 - 169 ) Theophilus ( c. 169 -- c. 182 ) Maximus I ( 182 -- 191 ) Serapion ( 191 -- 211 ) Ascelpiades the Confessor ( 211 -- 220 ) Philetus ( 220 -- 231 ) Zebinnus ( 231 -- 237 ) Babylas the Martyr ( 237 -- ca. 250 ) Fabius ( 253 -- 256 ) Demetrius ( c. 256 -- ? ) Paul of Samosata ( 260 -- 268 ) Domnus I ( 268 -- 273 ) Timaeus ( 273 -- 282 ) Cyril I ( 283 -- 303 ) Tyrannus ( 304 -- 314 ) Vitalis ( 314 -- 320 ) Philogonus ( 320 -- 323 ) Eustathius ( 324 - 330 ) Paulinos of Tyre ( 330 ) Eulalius ( 331 -- 332 ) Euphronius ( 332 -- 333 ) Flacillus ( 333 -- 342 ) Stephen I ( 342 -- 344 ) Leontius the Eunuch ( 344 -- 358 ) Eudoxius ( 358 -- 359 ) Annanios ( 359 ) Meletius ( 360 - 361 ) Homoian group Euzoius ( 361 -- 378 ) Dorotheus of Antioch ( 378 - 381 ) Meletian group Meletius ( 362 - 381 ) Flavian I ( 381 - 404 ) Porphyrus ( 404 -- 412 ) Alexander ( 412 -- 417 ) Eustathian group Paulinus ( 362 -- 388 ) Evagrius ( 388 -- 393 ) Apollonarist group Vitalis ( 376 -- ? ) Theodotus ( 417 -- 428 ) John I ( 428 -- 442 ) Domnus II ( 442 -- 449 ) Maximus II ( 449 -- 455 ) Basil of Antioch ( 456 -- 458 ) Acacius of Antioch ( 458 -- 461 ) Martyrius ( 461 - 469 ) Peter II ( 469 - 471 ) Julian ( 471 - 476 ) Peter II ( 476 ) John II Codonatus ( 476 -- 477 ) Stephen II ( 477 -- 479 ) Callandion ( 479 -- 485 ) Peter II ( 485 -- 488 ) Palladius ( 488 - 498 ) Flavian II ( 498 - 512 ) Severus I ( 512 - 518 ) Eastern Christianity portal Saints of the Catholic Church Virgin Mary Mother of God ( Theotokos ) Immaculate Conception Perpetual virginity Assumption Marian apparition Titles of Mary Apostles Andrew Barnabas Bartholomew James of Alphaeus James the Greater John Jude Matthew Matthias Paul Peter Philip Simon Thomas Archangels Gabriel Michael Raphael Confessors Anatolius Chariton the Confessor Edward the Confessor Maximus the Confessor Michael of Synnada Paphnutius the Confessor Paul I of Constantinople Salonius Theophanes the Confessor Disciples Apollos Mary Magdalene Priscilla and Aquila Silvanus Stephen Timothy Titus Seventy disciples Doctors Gregory the Great Ambrose Augustine of Hippo Jerome John Chrysostom Basil of Caesarea Gregory of Nazianzus Athanasius of Alexandria Cyril of Alexandria Cyril of Jerusalem John of Damascus Bede the Venerable Ephrem the Syrian Thomas Aquinas Bonaventure Anselm of Canterbury Isidore of Seville Peter Chrysologus Leo the Great Peter Damian Bernard of Clairvaux Hilary of Poitiers Alphonsus Liguori Francis de Sales Peter Canisius John of the Cross Robert Bellarmine Albertus Magnus Anthony of Padua Lawrence of Brindisi Teresa of Ávila Catherine of Siena Thérèse of Lisieux John of Ávila Hildegard of Bingen Gregory of Narek Evangelists Matthew Mark Luke John Church Fathers Alexander of Alexandria Alexander of Jerusalem Ambrose of Milan Anatolius Athanasius of Alexandria Augustine of Hippo Caesarius of Arles Caius Cappadocian Fathers Clement of Alexandria Clement of Rome Cyprian of Carthage Cyril of Alexandria Cyril of Jerusalem 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Question: who was peter to jesus in the bible
Answer: Testament, was one of the Twelve Apostles