Thursday 29 June 2017

The Feast of St Peter and St Paul

On June 29th we celebrate the Feast Day of St Peter and St Paul. Both were instrumental in growing and sustaining the early Church. At the time an unlikely pair for our Lord to choose; one an uneducated fisherman and the other a murderous fanatic of the law. 

Simon son of Jonah, called by God to become Peter, the rock on which the Church was to be built and the keeper of the keys of the kingdom of heaven. 

Saul of Tarsus, a persecutor of the early Church, converted by Christ on the road to Damascus and later baptised into the Christian community as Paul. He was to travel on great journeys of faith across the Mediterranean world proclaiming the Gospel to the gentiles. 

Both died as Martyrs in Rome, paying the ultimate price of their faith. 

Almighty God,
whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul
glorified you in their death as in their life:
grant that your Church,
inspired by their teaching and example,
and made one by your Spirit,
may ever stand firm upon the one foundation,
Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 
Amen.

Common Worship Collect