St. Peter is perhaps the most famous of the apostles for many reasons. Sometimes called the Prince of the Apostles, Peter is known for being the first Pope and the one to whom Jesus entrusted the Church here on earth. He is the patron of bakers, bridge builders, butchers, fishermen, the Papacy and Rome, and he is often depicted in art holding the Keys of Heaven, wearing a pallium or with a rooster. But how much do we really know about St. Peter?
Born in Bethsaida in the 1st Century AD, Peter, then known as Simon, was the son of Jonah and brother of St. Andrew. A fisherman by trade, we know from the Gospels that Peter was married. In fact, one of Jesus' recorded miracles is the healing of Peter's mother-in-law in Capernaum. It is also in Capernaum that Peter is called to follow Jesus. There are two stories about this call. In one, it is Peter's brother Andrew that brings Peter to Jesus. In the other, Peter and Andrew are called together while they are in their fishing boats to be "fishers of men." Whichever story is true, Peter was one of the first to be called to follow Jesus.
Peter is also one of the closest disciples to Jesus and is often included in special moments in the Gospels. It is Peter who has his name changed from Simon, to Cephas or Peter, a name which means "rock," signifying that Peter would become the foundation of the new Church Jesus was building on earth. He was present at the Transfiguration, along with James and John. He was the first to enter Jesus' tomb following the Resurrection. He also accompanied Jesus to the High Priest's house the night of his arrest, although it is here that he denied him three times. Again, we see that Peter is an apostle of both faith and flaws.
Following Jesus' Ascension to heaven, Peter continues to play a prominent role in the growing Christian movement. He delivers a sermon to the assembled crowd on the first Pentecost, conducts the election of Matthias to replace Judas, is twice brought before the Sanhedrin and chastised by them, he is imprisoned by Herod and rescued by an angel, and played a significant role at the Council of Jerusalem. Following this, the New Testament goes silent on Peter, but tradition tells us that he traveled to Rome where he was martyred by crucifixion on an upside-down cross. His tomb is located beneath the altar of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Tradition also tells us that Peter is the main source for St. Mark's gospel.
Peter is one of the most prominent and important members of the early Church and the Apostles. As chief or head of the Apostles, he is looked to as the predecessor of the Papacy. Because he is flawed, he gives us an example of hope and how we too can achieve great things in spite of our own flaws. So the next time you think you have too many issues to be an effective follower of Jesus, take a look at Peter and remember that even the first Pope once denied that he even knew Jesus.