The priest told about the life of the Apostles Peter and Paul

Every year, on July 12, a holiday is celebrated in honor of the first-born apostles Peter and Paul. Vladislav Beregovoy, head of the missionary department of the Pesochenskaya Diocese, told Izvestia about the life and significance of the saints' feat.

Peter (before his vocation, Simon) He was one of the closest disciples of Christ. He was present at the most important events of evangelical history — the Last Supper, the Transfiguration. On the night of Christ's arrest, Peter denied the Master three times, but sincerely repented. Later, the risen Lord restored him to his apostolic dignity.

"It is very important for us that he agreed to live on with this burden of renunciation. Church tradition has even preserved for us an important episode from the life of the Apostle Peter: every time he heard roosters crowing, he sobbed bitterly, and over the years, tears even appeared on his cheeks. That is, even though he received forgiveness, he still remembered that, even though he promised to be with Christ to the end, no matter what happened to Christ, he still stumbled in a moment of danger," the priest recalled.

After Pentecost, Peter actively preached, performed miracles, and converted many people to the faith. According to legend, during the persecution under Nero, Peter wanted to leave Rome, but when he met Christ, he returned, was captured and crucified upside down. The apostle asked for this position on the cross himself, since he considered himself unworthy to die as a Savior.

Paul (before his conversion, Saul) was born in Tarsus, was an educated Pharisee, and at first zealously persecuted Christians. The turning point happened on the way to Damascus: Saul was blinded by a bright light, he heard the voice of Christ and completely changed his life.

"The Apostle Paul led the persecution of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Jewish religious authorities against those Jews who accepted Christ as their Messiah, and his hands were up to his elbows in blood — he killed all these "sectarians" without mercy and indiscriminately by gender and age. When he was assigned to lead the persecution of Christians in Damascus, he met the real living Christ along the way. And this meeting made a huge change in him," said Father Vladislav.

Having been baptized under the name Paul, he made a number of apostolic journeys, founded Christian communities, preached salvation through faith and grace, and promoted the separation of Christianity from Judaism. Paul is the author of 14 epistles of the New Testament.

"If you open the New Testament, which consists of 27 books, you will find that 14 of them belong to the Apostle Paul. Despite the fact that it was written, unconditionally, many times more. Thanks to his works, those communities that were commonly called pagan joined the church," the clergyman said.

Paul was beheaded in Rome at about the same time as Peter (June 29, or July 12, new style).

Read more about the feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul in the Izvestia article:

"Peter and Paul – 2026: the story of two people who changed the course of Christianity"