Our parish is named for St. Paul the Apostle, whose conversion, preaching, pastoral care, epistles, and martyrdom reveal a life wholly given to Christ and His Church. We celebrate the martyrdom and feast of the pure apostles Peter and Paul on Epep 5, which corresponds to July 12.
The Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul
On this day the Church celebrates the feast of the pure apostles. In the year 67 A.D., the two great saints Peter and Paul, the apostles, were martyred.
St. Peter the Apostle
St. Peter was born in Bethsaida about the year 13 B.C. He was the brother of Andrew and they worked as fishermen. The Lord Christ called them to follow Him, saying, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men,” and they immediately left their nets and followed Him. Peter became one of the twelve disciples.
When the Lord asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” St. Peter accompanied the Lord, along with James and John, at the raising of the daughter of Jairus, the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, and in the garden of Gethsemane on the night of His Passion.
After denying the Lord during His trials, Peter repented bitterly. The Lord accepted his repentance and restored him, asking him three times, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” and commanding him, “Tend My sheep.”
When the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, Peter stood with the eleven and preached with boldness. About three thousand souls were baptized that day. He preached in Palestine, Phoenicia, Asia Minor, Antioch, Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Bithynia, and finally Rome. Nero ordered him crucified, but in humility he asked to be crucified upside down, receiving the crown of martyrdom.
St. Paul the Apostle
St. Paul was born in the year 5 A.D. in Tarsus in Asia Minor to Jewish parents from the tribe of Benjamin. His Hebrew name was Saul and his Roman name was Paul. He was raised as a zealous Pharisee and received his religious education in Jerusalem under Gamaliel, a teacher of the law.
Before his conversion, Saul harshly persecuted Christians in Jerusalem and was consenting to the martyrdom of St. Stephen. He obtained letters from the chief priest to persecute Christians in Damascus, but on the way the Lord Christ manifested Himself to him and directed him to what he must do. He believed in the Lord Christ and was baptized by Ananias, bishop of Damascus.
Afterward, St. Paul spent three years in the Arabian Desert in seclusion, contemplation, prayer, and study of the Old Testament in the light of the New Testament. Around the year 40 A.D., he began his ministry with three major missionary journeys, preaching in Seleucia, Cyprus, Asia Minor, and Greece.
He was seized in Jerusalem and sent to Caesarea, where he spent two years imprisoned before appealing to Caesar. In Rome, he lived for two years in his own rented house, receiving all who came to him, preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence.
After being released, he returned to ministry, but was arrested again and brought back to Rome as a prisoner in the year 66 A.D. From prison he wrote his final epistle, the Second Epistle to Timothy: “For I am ready being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.” Nero finally ordered him beheaded with the sword, and he received the crown of martyrdom.
St. Paul wrote fourteen epistles out of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. His letters continue to teach the Church about faith, repentance, love, unity, worship, and the Body of Christ. The blessing of their prayers be with us all. Amen.