Icon of the Patriach St Peter in the local church of Etar the Architectural-Ethnographic Complex, Bulagaria open-air museum


Saint Peter (Latin: Petrus, Greek: Πέτρος Petros; died AD 64 or 67), also known as Simon Peter, was a prominent early Christian leader, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, according to the New Testament. He is venerated as a saint and considered by the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and Oriental Orthodoxyto be the first bishop of Rome and first Pope. The son of John (or Jonah or Jona), he was from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee or Gaulanitis. His brother Andrew was also an apostle. Two epistles in the New Testament are ascribed to Peter, although the majority of biblical scholars rejects the Petrine authorship of both. The Gospel of Mark was traditionally thought to show the influence of Peter's preaching and eyewitness memories. Several other books bearing his name – the Acts of Peter, Gospel of Peter, Preaching of Peter, Apocalypse of Peter, and Judgment of Peter – are rejected by the Catholic Church and every other Christian church as apocryphal. According to New Testament accounts, Peter was one of twelve apostles chosen by Jesus from his first disciples. Originally a fisherman, he played a leadership role and was with Jesus during events witnessed by only a few apostles, such as the Transfiguration. According to the gospels, Peter confessed Jesus as the Messiah, was part of Jesus' inner circle, thrice denied Jesus, and preached on the day of Pentecost. According to Christian tradition, Peter is said to have been crucified in Rome under Emperor Nero Augustus Caesar. It is traditionally held that he was crucified upside down at his own request, since he saw himself unworthy to be crucified in the same way as Jesus Christ. Catholic tradition holds that Saint Peter's site of crucifixion is located in the Clementine Chapel, while his mortal bones and remains are contained in the underground Confessio of St. Peter's Basilica


Size: 2848px × 4287px
Location: Etar the Architectural-Ethnographic Complex, Bulagaria open-air museum & Church
Photo credit: © Roland Pargeter / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: apostles, bishop, catholic, christ, christian, church, considered, early, eastern, jesus, john, leader, oriental, orthodox, orthodoxy, orthordoxy, peter, pope., prominent, religious, roman, rome, rome., saint, simon, son, testament., twelve, venerated