The Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul (Rome) in Italy ― Date, History, and Details
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History of The Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul (Rome) in Italy and How to Celebrate/ Observe It
The Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul is a religious holiday celebrated in Rome, Italy. The feast commemorates the lives and martyrdom of the two saints who were instrumental in the founding of the Christian church.
St. Peter was a fisherman from Galilee who was chosen by Jesus to be one of his Twelve Apostles. He is regarded as the first Pope and the head of the Catholic Church. St. Paul was a Jewish Pharisee who persecuted Christians until he had a dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus. He became one of the most important early Christian missionaries, spreading the gospel throughout the Mediterranean world.
Both saints were arrested and imprisoned in Rome during the persecution of Christians under the emperor Nero. They were executed on the same day, with St. Peter being crucified upside down and St. Paul beheaded.
Their joint feast day is celebrated on June 29th and is one of the major feast days of the year in Rome. The day begins with a solemn mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by a procession to the nearby shrine of St. Paul. A second mass is held at the shrine, after which the relics of the two saints are carried back to St. Peter’s in a grand procession.
The feast day is also a major pilgrimage day for Catholics from all over the world. Many come to Rome to pray at the shrines of the two saints and to celebrate Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.