Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, apostles

“The Savior confided to this man, as some special trust, the whole universal Church, after having asked him three times: Dost thou love me? And he received the world in charge, as one flock one shepherd, having heard, Feed my lambs; and the Lord gave, well nigh in His own stead, that most famous disciple to the proselytes as a father, and shepherd, and instructor.”

─St. Asterius of Amasea (c. 350 – c. 410 AD): On the Chief Holy Apostles, Peter and Paul.

 "But not to dwell upon ancient examples, let us come to the most recent spiritual heroes. Let us take the noble examples furnished in our own generation. Through envy and jealousy the greatest and most righteous pillars [of the church] have been persecuted and put to death. Let us set before our eyes the illustrious apostles. Peter, through unrighteous envy, endured not one or two, but numerous labours; and when he had at length suffered martyrdom, departed to the place of glory due to him. Owing to envy, Paul also obtained the reward of patient endurance, after being seven times thrown into captivity, compelled to flee, and stoned. After preaching both in the east and west, he gained the illustrious reputation due to his faith, having taught righteousness to the whole world, and come to the extreme limit of the west, and suffered martyrdom under the prefects. Thus was he removed from the world, and went into the holy place, having proved himself a striking example of patience."

─Pope St. Clement I (reigned 88 - 99 AD): Letter to the Corinthians, 5

Apostles Peter and Paul, by El Greco. Oil on canvas, c. 1592;
The Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

St. Clement of Alexandria: "The violent who take it by force"

“NOR does the kingdom of heaven belong to sleepers and sluggards, ‘but the violent who take it by force’ (Mt. 11:12). Therefore on hearing those words, the blessed Peter, the chosen, the pre-eminent, the first of the disciples, for whom alone and Himself the Saviour paid tribute, quickly seized and comprehended the saying. And what does he say? ‘Lo, we have left all and followed Thee’ (Mt. 19:27; Mk. 10:28).”

~St. Clement of Alexandria: Who is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?, Ch. 21.

Landscape with Christ and His Disciples, by Francisque Millet
(1642 - 1679). Oil on canvas; The Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

St. Ephraem: "Thou art the head of My disciples"

“SIMON, My disciple, I have made thee a foundation of holy Church. I called thee Rock on a previous occasion, because thou shalt be the support of all the buildings; thou are the overseer of those who will build My Church on earth. If they try to build anything evil, thou, the foundation, shalt reprimand them. Thou art the head of the foundation from which My doctrine shall be drunk, thou art the head of My disciples; I will give all people to drink through thee; yours is that life-giving sweetness I pour forth; I have chosen thee to be as it were the firstborn in My establishment and thou shalt become the heir of My treasures. The keys of My kingdom I have given thee. Lo, I have established thee prince over all my treasures.”

~St. Ephraem of Syria: Sermons on Holy Week, 4, 1.

The Statue of Saint Peter, by Arnolfo di Cambio.

Bronze, c. 1300; Treasury of San Pietro, Vatican.

Ambrose: "This is the Creed"

“NOTHING is to be taken away from the apostolic writings, and nothing is to be added to them; in the same way we must expunge nothing from the Creed drawn up and handed down by the apostles, nor must we add anything to it. This is the Creed which the Roman church holds, where Peter, the first of the apostles, sat, and thither he brought the common decisions (sententiam).”

~St. Ambrose (c. 340 - 397):  Explicatio symboli ad Initiandos.



St. Ambrose, by Cesare Fracanzano (1605-1651). Oil on canvas; Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle.

Cyprian: "One altar and the one priesthood"

“THERE is one God, and Christ is one, and there is one Church, and one chair founded upon Peter by the word of the Lord. Another altar cannot be constituted nor a new priesthood be made, except the one altar and the one priesthood.”

~St. Cyprian of Carthage: “Letters,” 39, 5. (c. 200 – Sept. 14, 258)

Ambrose: The Creed

“LET them believe the creed of the Apostles which the church of Rome keeps and guards in its entirety.” (Letters, 42, 5)

“NOTHING is to be taken away from the apostolic writings, and nothing is to be added to them; in the same way we must expunge nothing from the Creed drawn up and handed down to us by the apostles, nor must we add anything to it. This is the Creed which the Roman church holds, where Peter, the first of the apostles, sat, and thither he brought the common decision (sententiam).” (Explicatio Symboli ad Initiandos.)

~St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan from 374-397

St. Ambrose Converting Theodosius, by Pierre Subleyras.
Oil on canvas, 1745; Galleria Nazionale, Perugia.

Council of Ephesus: "Most blessed Peter"

"Philip the presbyter and legate of the Apostolic See said: There is no doubt, and in fact it has been known in all ages, that the holy and most blessed Peter, prince (ἔξαρχος) and head of the Apostles, pillar of the faith, and foundation (θεμέλιος) of the Catholic Church, received the keys of the kingdom from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour and Redeemer of the human race, and that to him was given the power of loosing and binding sins: who down even to today and forever both lives and judges in his successors. The holy and most blessed pope Cœlestine, according to due order, is his successor and holds his place, and us he sent to supply his place in this holy synod, which the most humane and Christian Emperors have commanded to assemble, bearing in mind and continually watching over the Catholic faith. For they both have kept and are now keeping intact the apostolic doctrine handed down to them from their most pious and humane grandfathers and fathers of holy memory down to the present time, etc."

~Council of Ephesus (A.D. 431); Extracts from the Acts, Session III.