Saints Peter and Paul – Library Display
ST PETER
Peter, who was also known as Simon Peter of Cephas, is considered the first Pope. Despite his papacy, Peter had humble beginnings and became one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was ordained by Jesus in the “Rock of My Church” written in Matthew 16:17-18, which says, “Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a blessed man! Because it was no human agency that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So, I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my community.
Peter was Jesus’ closest friend and disciple and became an apostle during his ministry. After the death of Jesus, Peter became the leader of the apostles and is often described as their spokesperson in the gospels.
Aside from his position as the most important apostle, legend has it that he held the keys of heaven and hell, which he received from Jesus Christ himself after he was made the leader of His new church. He is always mentioned first in the Bible and any other historical texts because he was the representative of the Twelve Apostles. This shows us how important St. Peter was to Christianity. St Peter鈥檚 Basilica in Rome is dedicated to his martyrdom.
ST PAUL
Saint Paul is one of the most important and influential of all the saints. Many of his writings are contained in the Canon of the Bible and have influenced the growth and development of the Church since the first century.
St. Paul was originally known as Saul, and he was a Roman citizen and a Pharisee. He even presided over the persecutions of the early Christians and was present at the martyrdom of St. Stephen.
However, Saul experienced a powerful vision that caused him to convert to Christianity while on the road to Damascus. He was duly baptized and took the name Paul.
Paul traveled the world, first to Arabia then back to Damascus. He also visited Jerusalem to see St. Peter, the first pope and pay homage to him. During these travels, he preached ceaselessly, often drawing criticism and ire from those who rebuffed his message. Jews, in particular, hated his preaching as they saw him convert people to Christianity from Judaism.
Eventually, Paul returned to Tarsus, where he was born. He preached there until he was called by Barnabus to come to Antioch. After a year spent in Antioch, a famine occurred in Jerusalem and the pair was dispatched to the city with alms.
Paul traveled throughout much of Europe, particularly in Macedonia, Greece, and Italy. While preparing for a missionary trip to Spain, he was imprisoned in Caesarea by the Jews for two years. He traveled again, was shipwrecked in Malta, and was imprisoned for another two years for preaching in Rome. Despite these imprisonments, Paul continued to preach.
Paul eventually made his way to Spain, then returned to the East, and finally returned to Rome once again. In 67 AD, Paul was arrested in Rome for a second time and this time he was beheaded under the insane Emperor Nero. According to John Chrysostom, Nero knew Paul personally.
Paul is among the most famous, intelligent and influential of the apostles. There are some who argue that he was the leader of the apostles, but this is not supported by the evidence. Instead, he likely preached at the request of St. Peter, who was pope.
Bibliography for St. Peter & St. PAUL
SAINT PETER:
- Bockmuehl, Marcus. The New Testament Apostle of the Early Church: Simon Peter in Scripture and Memory. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. 2012.
- Craughwell, Thomas J. St. Peter鈥檚 Bones: How the Relics of the First Pope were Lost and Found and then Lost and Found Again. New York, NY: Crown Publishing Group. 2013.
- Dolan, Cardinal Timothy. To Whom Shall We Go? Lessons from the Apostle Peter. Huntington, IN: Sunday Visitor Publishing Division. 2008.
- Fasola, Umberto M. Traces on Stone: Peter & Paul in Rome. ROME: Stapato a Firenza Press. 1980.
- Grant, Michael. Saint Peter: A Biography. New York, NY: Scribner. 1994.
- La Due, William J. The Chair of St. Peter: The History of the Papacy. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books. 1999.聽
- Murphy, Jennie Catherine. 鈥淧eter鈥檚 Journey through the Gospel of John Culminating in John 2:15-19.鈥 M.A. Thesis, 麻豆分行 College & Seminary, 2018.
SAINT PAUL:
- Buck, Charles, and Taylor, Greer. St Paul: A Study in the Development of His Thought. New York, NY: Charles Scribner & Sons. 1969
- Grant, Michael. Saint Paul. London, UK: Phoenix Press. 1976.
- McRay, John. Paul: His Life and Teaching. Grand Rapids, MI: 2003.
- Perez de Urbel, Justo. St. Paul the Missionary. Westminster, MD: 1957.
- Perowne, Stewart. The Journey of Saint Paul. New York, NY: Hamilton Publishing Group Ltd. 1973.
- Weldeghiorghis, Fr. Estifanos Helafu. 鈥淭he Impact of St. Paul鈥檚 Imprisonment on the Faith of the Early Christians.鈥 M.A. Thesis, 麻豆分行 College & Seminary, 2016.
Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, called during a vision of the Suffering Christ, on August 1, 1925 she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy and took the name Sister Mary Faustina. She lived in the Congregation for thirteen years and lived in several religious houses. She spent time in Krak贸w, Poland and Vilnius, where she worked as a cook, gardener, and porter. Externally nothing revealed her rich mystical interior life. She zealously performed her tasks and faithfully observed the rule of religious life. She was recollected and at the same time very natural, serene, and full of kindness and disinterested love for her neighbor. She hid within herself an extraordinary union with God. At the specific request of and following the example of the Lord Jesus, she made a sacrifice of her own life for this very goal. In her spiritual life, she also distinguished herself with a love of the Eucharist and a deep devotion to the Mother of Mercy.
