Jun-29 Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul
June 29: Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul Today June 29th, we celebrate the Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul, a day made holy for us by their exemplary life of courage and testimony. Apart from Mother Mary, St Joseph and St John the Baptist, these two saints are the only humans commemorated in the Catholic calendar with a day given the rank of ‘Solemnity’. Peter (or Cephas, older brother of the apostle Andrew and son of John/Jonas) was a simple fisherman by trade and the first apostle to be named (Mark 1:16-18). We can relate to his sense of doubt (Matthew 14:31), denial (Mark 15:53-72) and weakness (Mark 14:32-42) even as we admire his passionate devotion to Christ (Mark 14:29). He was the first one to recognise Christ as the Messiah, prompting Jesus to christen him Peter, 'the rock on which I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, the rock on which (Matthew 16:16-19). Paul, by contrast, did not k...