Saints Peter and Paul are the principle pillars of the Church founded by Christ. Saint Peter was chosen by Christ to be his first Vicar on earth; he was endowed with powers ofthe keys of the kingdom of heaven (Mt 16:13-19) and charged with the role of Shepherd of Christ's flock (Jn 21:15-17). In St. Peter and his sucessors, we have a visible sign of unity and communion in faith and charity. Divine grace led St. Peter to profess Christ's divinity.St. Peter suffered martyrdom under Nero, in about the year 64 AD. He was buried at the hill of the Vatican; recent excavations have revealed his tomb on the very site of St. Peter's Basilica.
Saint Paul was chosen to form part of the apostolic college by Christ himself on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-16). Selected to bring Christ's name to all peoples (Acts 9:15), he is the greatest missionary of all time, the advocate of pagans, the Apostle of the Gentiles. St. Paul was beheadedd in the Tre Fontane along the Via Ostiense and buried nearby, on the site where the basilica bearing his name now stands.
A prayer to the Apostle's - Glorious Apostles , Most zealous martyrs , Martyr for the love of Christ , Give us a deep faith , A steadfast hope , A burning love for our Lord so that we can proclaim with you ' It is no longer I who live , but Christ who lives in me ' . Help us to become apostles serving the church with a pure heart witnesses to her truth and beauty amidst the darkness of our days . With you we praise God our Father ' To Him be the glory , in the Church and in Christ - Now and forever ' . Amen
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