The Holy, Glorious, All-Praiseworthy and Chief Apostles Peter and Paul
Rank: All-Night Vigil. Day when the faithful are highly encouraged to participate in the Divine Liturgy.
Read
2 Corinthians 11:21-12:9; Matthew 16:13-19
Today we commemorate the holy, glorious and all-praise-worthy apostles Peter and Paul.
In the Epistle reading, we learn from Saint Paul that even in our weaknesses the Lord can use us so that His great and mighty works can be made manifest and His Name glorified. In the Gospel, we hear of Saint Peter’s profession of faith, that Jesus is the Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah) the Son of the living God. Peter was not acknowledging that Jesus was a great man, one who could lead to the overthrow of the Roman occupation. Rather, he acknowledged Him as the One promised by the Father that would save Israel, indeed all humanity.
Our Lord, in response to Peter’s profession of faith, told him that He was correct and that He was here to establish His Church, a community that gathered together around her Head. And it is to this Church that we belong, we who have been baptized. We like Peter and Paul have made this profession of faith at our baptism.
From Vespers:
O Peter, the first of the glorious apostles and rock of faith!
wondrous Paul, orator and lampstand of the holy churches,
standing before the divine throne,
pray to Christ for us.
O Paul, spokesman of the Lord and foundation of doctrine!
Once you were a persecutor of Jesus the Saviour,
and then indeed you were among the first of the apostles, O blessed one.
You saw the ineffable One, O wise Apostle.
You were transported up to the third heaven, and you exclaimed:
Come with me and do not be deprived of the good things.