Commemorating saints Peter and Paul (copy) (copy)
On Monday, June 29, we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, copatrons of the city of Rome, where this feast is a major public holiday that brings Christian tradition to the forefront of life. Floral carpets decorate streets leading to Saint Peter’s Square, and the bronze statue of Saint Peter in Saint Peter’s Basilica is dressed in papal vestments as a reminder of his role as the first pope of the Church.
The day starts with a Mass, where the pope blesses the pallia of newly appointed metropolitan archbishops from around the world. The pallia are special chasubles modeled after the one worn by the pope, symbolizing the connection an archbishop has to the Successor of Peter in the chain of authority within the Church. Martyrdom is symbolized in the black crosses and pins that adorn the pallia, and reference is made to the sheep carried on a shepherd’s shoulders in the wool of the pallia, which is taken from two lambs blessed earlier in the year on the Feast of Saint Agnes of Rome.
Saint Agnes was martyred at a place of Roman sport where a church named after her now stands. Rome is filled with such places whose history proclaims the triumph of Christian martyrs. Saint Peter’s Basilica was built in the place where Saint Peter was martyred. Saint Paul was martyred at the Via Ostia, outside Rome’s Aurelian Walls, where the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls now stands. At Saint Paul Outside the Walls, a procession is held on this solemnity shared by Peter and Paul. They share this day due to their significance to the early Church. In fact, they were so important that the Romans who put them to death must have believed they were destroying the entire religion. But they were measuring things by the world’s standards.
Relics of the chains that once bound Paul in captivity are carried in the procession at Saint Paul Outside the Walls, yet another reminder on this day of Christ’s triumph over the world. Closing out the day is a legendary fireworks display known as the Girandola, which reenacts a 15th century show of rockets designed by Michelangelo and Bernini. The Girandola is held at Castel Sant’Angelo, a historic prison and fortress dating back to the Roman Empire. The light of the fireworks against this backdrop symbolizes the transformation of place, memory, and purpose in the light of Christ.
Peter and Paul share this solemnity because they complemented each other in guiding and forming the character of the early Church. Peter linked to the Jewish tradition and represented unity, while Paul embodied the mission to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles and all corners of the earth. Evidence suggests this feast was celebrated as early as 258 AD, during a time when Christians were still being persecuted in Rome. So it is a feast that began in hope of a brighter future for those willing to face death to follow Christ. A little over a hundred years later, Rome became Christian and led the world in proclaiming the Gospel and building a peaceful and ordered civilization.
It’s easy to see why Rome would feel so special about the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, and Catholics around the world should feel the same way. In fact, the whole world should feel celebratory because Peter and Paul gave their lives for Christ’s triumph to be proclaimed everywhere, and the triumph of Christ is good news for all.
For free copies of the Christopher News Note The Seven Heavenly Virtues, write: The Christophers, 264 West 40th Street, Room 603, New York, NY 10018; or e-mail: mail@christophers.org.
