The Life of St Peter

Every February, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Chair of St Peter. The ‘Chair’ of Peter refers to his authority, much as when people ‘chair’ a meeting (cf Matthew 23:2). To coincide with this, here you’ll find as summary of the life of St Peter and a description of his mission as shepherd of the Church.

Originally named Simon, St Peter was one of the Twelve Apostles of Christ and a key figure in the early life of the Church. He is mentioned many times in the New Testament, enabling us to get a glimpse into his life and to understand more about his unique mission.

St Peter’s home was in Capernaum, by the Sea of Galilee, where he ran a fishing business with his brother, St Andrew. His journey of faith began when St Andrew introduced him to Christ (Matthew 4:13; Mark 1:21, 29-30; John 1:40-42).

As Pope Benedict XVI explained: “The Gospels enable us to follow Peter step by step on his spiritual journey. The starting point was Jesus’ call. It happened on an ordinary day while Peter was busy with his fisherman’s tasks. Jesus was at the Lake of Gennesaret and crowds had gathered around him to listen to him.”

He went on: “The size of his audience created a certain discomfort. The Teacher saw two boats moored by the shore; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. He then asked permission to board the boat, which was Simon’s, and requested him to put out a little from the land. Sitting on that improvised seat, he began to teach the crowds from the boat (cf. Luke 5:1-3). Thus, the boat of Peter becomes the chair of Jesus.”

One of the most famous moments in St Peter’s life is recorded in St Matthew’s gospel, when Christ asked his disciples who they believed he was. St Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus then declared that St Peter would be the rock upon which his Church would be built. In doing so, he renamed Simon as ‘Peter’ (which means ‘rock’).

After his death and resurrection, Christ appeared to St Peter on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. There he appointed him as shepherd of the Church. St Peter then became one of the main preachers of the gospel, delivering powerful sermons and performing miracles in the name of Jesus.

Later in the New Testament, St. Peter is presented as a leader among the apostles, helping to guide the Church through its numerous growing pains. He is also known for his writings, as two of the letters in the New Testament are named after him – 1 Peter and 2 Peter.

In his later years, St. Peter went to Rome, where he became the bishop of the city. Tradition has it that he was martyred there during the reign of the Emperor Nero, around 64 AD. Like his master, he was crucified by the Romans.

Explore his life in art

You can find out more about St Peter’s life through these stained glass windows, mosaics and paintings, which are found in Catholic churches across Great Britain.

1 – The Call of St Peter (Mayer of Munich: St Peter’s, Cardiff)
2 – Christ walks on water (Gilbert Pownall: Westminster Cathedral, London)
3 – Christ gives the keys to St Peter (William Earley: English Martyrs, London)
4 – The Transfiguration (Nathaniel Westlake: English Martyrs, St-Leonards-on-Sea)
5 – St Peter denies Christ (Unknown: St Peter’s, Bloxwich)
6 – The Breakfast at Lake Galilee (Arthur Orr: St Peter & St Paul, Ilford)
7 – St Peter heals a disabled beggar (Unknown: St Peter’s, Bloxwich)
8 – The Council of Jerusalem (Mayer of Munich: St Peter’s, Cardiff)
9 – St Peter escapes from prison (Mayer of Munich: St Peter’s, Cardiff)
10 – The Martyrdom of St Peter (Sister Margaret Rope: St Peter & St Paul, Newport)

The stained glass detail of St Peter at the start of this article is found within the chapel of St Mary’s College, Oscott. As part of a series of sanctuary windows featuring the apostles, it was designed by A.W.N. Pugin and produced by William Warrington in 1837. The image is featured courtesy of St Mary’s College.