Saint Peter
- Feast
- 29 June
- Patron of
- the papacy, fishermen, locksmiths and the city of Rome
Simon was a Galilean fisherman, the brother of Andrew, when Jesus called him and gave him a new name, Peter, the rock on which he would build his Church. The Gospels show him as quick and impulsive: the first to confess Jesus as the Christ, and the one who denied him three times. Tradition holds he was crucified in Rome under Nero and buried on the Vatican Hill.
After the Resurrection Jesus asked him three times whether he loved him, undoing the three denials, and told him to feed his sheep. Painters give him the keys of the kingdom, a grey beard, and sometimes a rooster or an upside-down cross; the Acts of the Apostles supplies the angel who led him out of prison.
Peter is the saint for anyone who has failed badly and been trusted again. A confirmation candidate who takes his name takes the first of the apostles, a man who fell asleep, sank, denied and wept, and still became the rock.
9 prints of Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Catholic Art Studio
From $33.26
Christ Giving the Keys to Saint Peter
Giovanni Battista Pittoni
From $44.13
Christ Washing St. Peter's Feet
Giovanni Agostino da Lodi
From $31.52
Crucifixion of Saint Peter
Caravaggio
From $31.52
Domine, quo vadis?
Annibale Carracci
From $31.52
Liberation of Saint Peter
Battistello Caracciolo
From $31.52
St Peter Enthroned with Saints
Cima da Conegliano
From $33.26
The Calling of St Peter and St Andrew
Pietro da Cortona
From $53.18
The Disciples Peter and John Running to the Sepulchre on the Morning of the Resurrection
Eugene Burnand
From $45.19
Questions
When is the feast of Saint Peter?
The feast of Saint Peter is kept on 29 June.
What is Saint Peter the patron saint of?
Saint Peter is the patron saint of the papacy, fishermen, locksmiths and the city of Rome.
Is Saint Peter a good confirmation saint?
Peter is the saint for anyone who has failed badly and been trusted again. A confirmation candidate who takes his name takes the first of the apostles, a man who fell asleep, sank, denied and wept, and still became the rock.
Is Saint Peter the patron saint of people named Peter?
Yes. Saint Peter is the traditional name saint for anyone called Peter, Pedro, Pietro, Pierre, Piotr and Petra, and the feast on 29 June is their name day.
Choosing for a confirmation? See Confirmation gifts. Any two Charcoal Saints are 15% off.
Other patron saints
AgnesAnneAnthony of PaduaAugustine of HippoBenedict of NursiaBernadette SoubirousCarlo AcutisCatherine of SienaCeciliaChristopherClare of AssisiDominicDymphnaFaustina KowalskaFrancis of AssisiFrancis XavierGeorgeGerard MajellaGianna Beretta MollaIgnatius of LoyolaJoan of ArcJohn of the CrossJohn Paul IIJohn the BaptistJosephJosephine BakhitaJuan DiegoJude ThaddeusKateri TekakwithaLucyMartin de PorresMary MagdaleneMaximilian KolbeMichael the ArchangelMonicaNicholasPadre PioPatrickPaulPeregrine LaziosiPier Giorgio FrassatiRita of CasciaSebastianTeresa of ÁvilaTeresa of CalcuttaThérèse of LisieuxThomas AquinasJeromeCatherine of AlexandriaMartin of Tours