King Herod started persecuting certain members of the Church. He beheaded James the brother of John, and when he saw that this pleased the Jews he decided to arrest Peter as well. This was during the days of the Unleavened Bred, and he put Peter in prison, assigning four squads of four soldiers each to guard him in turns.
He meant to try Peter in public after the end of Passover week. All the time Peter was under guard the Church prayed to God for him unremittingly....
Letter of Paul to Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18
My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his appearing.....
Matthew 16:13-19
"But you, He said, 'who do you say I am? The Simon Peter spoke up, 'You are the Christ, he said the Son of the living God.' Jesus replied, "Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.
So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosened in heaven.' Images of Saints Peter and Paul
Mass Readings |
Letter of Paul to Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18
My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his appearing.....
Matthew 16:13-19
"But you, He said, 'who do you say I am? The Simon Peter spoke up, 'You are the Christ, he said the Son of the living God.' Jesus replied, "Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.
So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosened in heaven.' Images of Saints Peter and Paul