Also, on August 1st, this feast day

 

St. Peter in Chains

To please the enemies of the Christians, Herod Agrippa had put St. James to death, and now he planned to do the same to St. Peter, the Head of the Church. Once he had him in prison, he set a heavy guard about him to make sure he would not escape. But all the Christians of Jerusalem were begging the Lord to save St. Peter, and their prayers were answered.  The night before he was to be condemned, St. Peter was peacefully sleeping in his prison cell between his two guards bound tightly by two chains. He was unafraid of death and ready to do God's will. Suddenly an angel appeared and tapped him on the side to awaken him. He told him to get up at once, put on his cloak and sandles and follow him. At the same moment, both the chains fell from his hands! Out the two went, past two sets of guards, to the gate. This iron gate opened to them by itself and the angel led St. Peter out to the street. Then he disappeared. Up to then, Peter had thought he might be dreaming, but now he new that God had really sent an angel to free him! What joy and gratitude filled his heart! At once, the Apostle went to the home of Mary, St. Mark's mother, where many Christians were praying for his safety. He knocked at the door and a young woman named Rhoda came to ask who it was, without opening the door. When she heard St. Peter's voice, she ran joyfully to tell the others. They, however, could not believe the news. "It must be his angel," they said when she kept insisting. Meanwhile St. Peter knocked again. At last they let him in, and their happiness was immense when they saw it was truly St. Peter himself! He told them how the angel had freed him, and altogether they blessed and thanked the Lord. The feast day is August 1st.

The Solemnity of Saints Peter & Paul

 

Ordinary Time: June 29th

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Today the Church universally celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles (d. 64-67). This is a holyday of obligation in some countries. For 2025, the Solemnity supersedes the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, following the "Table of Liturgical Days According to Their Order of Precedence" in the General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar: Solemnities inscribed in the General Calendar, whether of the Lord, of the Blessed Virgin Mary or of Saints are higher (3) than Sundays of the Christmas season and Sundays in Ordinary Time (6).

Veneration of the two great Apostles, Saints Peter and Paul, has its roots in the very foundations of the Church. They are the solid rock on which the Church is built, the origin of her faith and will forever remain her protectors and her guides. To them Rome owes her true greatness, for it was under God's providential guidance that they were led to make the capital of the Empire, sanctified by their martyrdom, the center of the Christian world whence should radiate the preaching of the Gospel.

St. Peter suffered martyrdom under Nero, in A.D. 66 or 67. He was buried on the hill of the Vatican where recent excavations have revealed his tomb on the very site of the Basilica of St. Peter's. St. Paul was beheaded in the Via Ostia on the spot where now stands the basilica bearing his name. Down the centuries Christian people in their thousands have gone on pilgrimage to the tombs of these Apostles. In the second and third centuries the Roman Church already stood pre-eminent by reason of her apostolicity, the infallible truth of her teaching and her two great figures, Sts. Peter and Paul.

A partial indulgence may be gained today by anyone who makes devout use of a religious article blessed by any priest but "if the article of devotion has been blessed by the Sovereign Pontiff or by any Bishop, the faithful, using it, can also gain a plenary indulgence, provided they also make a profession of faith (e.g. the Apostles Creed), as long as the usual conditions are satisfied.

Peter's original name was Simon. Christ Himself gave him the name Cephas or Peter when they first met and later confirmed it. This name change was meant to show both Peter's rank as leader of the apostles and the outstanding trait of his character — Peter (in Hebrew Kephas) the Rock. Peter was born in Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee. Like his younger brother Andrew, he was a fisherman and dwelt at Capernaum. Peter's house often became the scene of miracles, since the Master would stay there whenever He was teaching in that locality. Together with his brothers John and Andrew, Peter belonged to the first of Jesus' disciples (John 1:40-50).

After the miraculous draught of fish on the Sea of Galilee, Peter received his definitive call and left wife, family, and occupation to take his place as leader of the Twelve. Thereafter we find him continually at Jesus' side, whether it be as spokesman of the apostolic college (John 6:68; Matt. 16:16), or as one specially favored (e.g., at the restoration to life of Jairus' daughter, at the transfiguration, during the agony in the garden). His sanguine temperament often led him into hasty, unpremeditated words and actions; his denial of Jesus during the passion was a salutary lesson. It accentuated a weakness in his character and made him humble.

After the ascension, Peter always took the leading role, exercising the office of chief shepherd that Christ had entrusted to him. He delivered the first sermon on Pentecost and received the first Gentiles into the Church (Cornelius; Acts 10:1). Paul went to Jerusalem "to see Peter." After his miraculous deliverance from prison (Easter, 42 A.D.), Peter "went to a different place," most probably to Rome. Details now become scanty; we hear of his presence at the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:1), and of his journey to Antioch (Gal. 2:11).

It is certain that Peter labored in Rome as an apostle, that he was the city's first bishop, and that he died there as a martyr, bound to a cross (67 A.D.). According to tradition he also was the first bishop of Antioch. He is the author of two letters, the first Christian encyclicals. His burial place is Christendom's most famous shrine, an edifice around whose dome are inscribed the words: Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam.
—Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Patronage: Against frenzy; bakers; bridge builders; butchers; clock makers; cobblers; Exeter College Oxford; feet problems; fever; fishermen; harvesters; locksmiths; longevity; masons; net makers; papacy; Popes; ship builders; shipwrights; shoemakers; stone masons; Universal Church; watch makers; Poznan, Poland; Rome; Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi; Diocese of Las Vegas, Nevada; Diocese of Marquette, Michigan; Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island; Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania. See the full list at CatholicSaints.info.

St. Paul
Paul, known as Saul (his Roman name) before his conversion, was born at Tarsus in the Roman province of Silicia about two or three years after the advent of the Redeemer. He was the son of Jewish parents who belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, was reared according to the strict religious-nationalistic party of the Pharisees and enjoyed the high distinction of Roman citizenship.

As a youth he went to Jerusalem to become immersed in the Law and had as a teacher the celebrated Gamaliel. He acquired skill as a tentmaker, a work he continued even as an apostle. At the time of Jesus' ministry, he no longer was at Jerusalem; neither did he see the Lord during His earthly life. Upon returning to the Holy City, Paul discovered a flourishing Christian community and at once became its bitter opponent. When Stephen impugned Law and temple, Paul was one of the first at his stoning; thereafter his fiery personality would lead the persecution. Breathing threats of slaughter against the disciples of Jesus, he was hurrying to Damascus when the grace of God effected his conversion (about the year 34 A.D.; see January 25, Conversion of St. Paul).

After receiving baptism and making some initial attempts at preaching, Paul withdrew into the Arabian desert (c. 34-37 A.D.), where he prepared himself for his future mission. During this retreat he was favored with special revelations, Christ appearing to him personally. Upon his return to Damascus, he began to preach but was forced to leave when the Jews sought to kill him. Then he went to Jerusalem "to see Peter." Barnabas introduced him to the Christian community, but the hatred of the Jews again obliged him to take secret flight. The following years (38-42 A.D.) he spent at Tarsus until Barnabas brought him to the newly founded Christian community at Antioch, where both worked a year for the cause of Christ; in the year 44 he made another journey to Jerusalem with the money collected for that famine-stricken community.

The first major missionary journey (45-48) began upon his return as he and Barnabas brought the Gospel to Cyprus and Asia Minor (Acts 13-14). The Council of Jerusalem occasioned Paul's reappearance in Jerusalem (50). Spurred on by the decisions of the Council, he began the second missionary journey (51-53), traveling through Asia Minor and then crossing over to Europe and founding churches at Philippi, Thessalonia (his favorite), Berea, Athens, Corinth. He remained almost two years at Corinth, establishing a very flourishing and important community. In 54 he returned to Jerusalem for the fourth time.

Paul's third missionary journey (54-58) took him to Ephesus, where he labored three years with good success; after visiting his European communities, he returned to Jerusalem for a fifth time (Pentecost, 58). There he was seized by the Jews and accused of condemning the Law. After being held as a prisoner for two years at Caesarea, he appealed to Caesar and was sent by sea to Rome (60 A.D.). Shipwrecked and delayed on the island of Malta, he arrived at Rome in the spring of 61 and passed the next two years in easy confinement before being released. The last years of the saint's life were devoted to missionary excursions, probably including Spain, and to revisiting his first foundations. In 66 he returned to Rome, was taken prisoner, and beheaded a year later. His fourteen letters are a precious legacy; they afford a deep insight into a great soul.
—Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Patronage: Against snakes; authors; Cursillo movement; evangelists; hailstorms; hospital public relations; journalists; lay people; missionary bishops; musicians; poisonous snakes; public relations personnel; public relations work; publishers; reporters; rope braiders; rope makers; saddle makers; saddlers; snake bites; tent makers; writers; Malta; Rome; Poznan, Poland; newspaper editorial staff, Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Diocese of Covington, Kentucky; Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama; Diocese of Las Vegas, Nevada; Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island; Diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts. See the full list at CatholicSaints.info.

What to expect Sunday for the inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV

 

A view of St Peter's Basilica and Square  (AFP or licensors)

Pope

• Pope Leo XIV
• church
• mass
• liturgy
• Vatican

The rite for the Inauguration of the Petrine Ministry of Leo XIV

The celebration marking the official beginning of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate on May 18 is a solemn liturgy. The rite highlights the bond with the Apostle Peter and his martyrdom, which nurtured the nascent Church of Rome, and the significance of the “Petrine” episcopal insignia conferred upon the Pope: the Pallium and the Ring of the Fisherman.

By Tiziana Campisi

With the Eucharistic celebration taking place on 18 May at 10:00 AM (CET) in St. Peter’s Basilica and Square, the Bishop of Rome, Leo XIV, solemnly begins his Petrine Ministry as the successor of the Apostle Peter and, therefore, as Pastor of the Catholic Church. As explained by the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, the rite features several moments of profound symbolic meaning, including those regarding the ancient episcopal insignia associated with Peter: the Pallium and the Ring of the Fisherman.

The Pallium

The Pallium is a liturgical vestment made from the wool of lambs. It evokes the image of the Good Shepherd who lays the lost sheep on his shoulders, and recalls Peter’s threefold response to the Risen Lord’s call to tend His lambs and sheep. As Simeon of Thessalonica writes in De sacris ordinationibus, the Pallium “represents the Savior who, encountering us like the lost sheep, lifts us onto His shoulders; by assuming our human nature in the Incarnation, He divinized it, offered us to the Father through His death on the Cross, and exalted us through the Resurrection.” It is a narrow band worn over the chasuble, draped around the shoulders. It features two black pendants (front and back), six black silk crosses—one on each pendant and four on the circular band over the shoulders—and is adorned on the front and on the back with three pins (aciculae), symbolising the three nails of Christ’s crucifixion.

The Ring of the Fisherman

The Ring of the Fisherman has the specific significance of a signet ring, representing the seal of faith entrusted to Peter to strengthen his brethren. It is called the “Ring of the Fisherman” because Peter, having believed in Jesus' word, drew the nets ashore from the boat in the miraculous catch of fish.

At the tomb of Saint Peter

The liturgy begins inside St. Peter’s Basilica. Accompanied by the Patriarchs of the Eastern Churches, the new Roman Pontiff descends to the chapel of the Tomb of Saint Peter, where he pauses in prayer and then incenses the site. This moment underscores the deep connection between the Bishop of Rome and the Apostle Peter, who, together with many other Christians, bore witness to the faith with his blood close to that very place.

Two deacons then take the Pallium, the Ring of the Fisherman, and the Book of the Gospels and proceed in procession toward the altar set up on the area in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, in the Square.

On the parvis of St. Peter’s Basilica

Pope Leo XIV joins the procession while the Laudes Regiae—a litany hymn—are sung, invoking the intercession of holy Pontiffs, martyrs, and saints of the Roman Church. Hanging from the central gate of the Basilica is a tapestry depicting the miraculous catch of fish, portraying the dialogue between Jesus and Peter—a central theme in the Liturgy of the Word and throughout the celebration. It is a reproduction of the Flemish tapestry originally made for the Sistine Chapel based on a cartoon by Raphael, now housed in the Vatican Museums.

Near the altar is the image of Our Lady of Good Counsel from the Marian Shrine of Genazzano.

The rite continues with the blessing and sprinkling of holy water, as it is a Sunday in the Easter season. This is followed by the singing of the Gloria and the Collect, which recalls the Father’s plan to build His Church upon Peter.

Liturgy of the Word

The Liturgy of the Word then begins. The First Reading, proclaimed in Spanish, is from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 4:8–12), in which Peter proclaims Christ as “the stone rejected by the builders.” The Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 117 [118]), proclaimed in Italian, continues the imagery of the “stone”: “The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.”

The Second Reading, also in Spanish, from the First Letter of Peter (1 Pt 5:1–5, 10–11), underscores the connection between Peter, the Church of Rome, and the ministry of his Successor.

The Gospel, a passage from John (Jn 21:15–19), proclaimed in Latin and Greek, recounts Jesus’ threefold question to Peter to “feed My lambs” and “tend My sheep”—one of the foundational texts for Peter’s unique role among the Twelve Apostles.

Conferral of the Petrine Episcopal Insignia

Following the proclamation of the Gospel, three Cardinals from the three orders (deacons, priests, bishops), each representing a different continent, approach Leo XIV. The first places the Pallium upon him; the second offers a special prayer for the Lord’s presence and assistance upon the Pope.

The third likewise prays, invoking Christ, “Shepherd and Bishop of our souls,”—who built the Church upon the rock of Peter and was recognized by him as “the Son of the Living God,” —asking Him to bestow the Ring of the Fisherman upon the new Pope, before presenting Leo XIV with the ring.

The moment concludes with a prayer to the Holy Spirit, asking that He endow the new Pope with strength and gentleness in preserving Christ’s disciples in the unity of communion. The Pope then blesses the assembly with the Book of the Gospels as the acclamation “Ad multos annos!” (“Many years!”) is proclaimed in Greek.

The rite of Obedience

The symbolic rite of obedience follows, in which twelve representatives from all the different categories of the People of God, from all over the world, pledge their obedience to the Pope. The celebration continues with the homily of the Holy Father.

Afterwards, the “Creed” is sung, followed by the Universal Prayer or Prayer of the Faithful, with intercessions in Portuguese, French, Arabic, Polish, and Chinese. Prayers are offered for the universal Church, for the Roman Pontiff at the beginning of his ministry, for those in positions of civil authority, for all who suffer or are in distress, and for the gathered assembly.

Liturgy of the Eucharist

As the Offertory chant “Tu es pastor ovium” (“You are the Shepherd of the sheep”) is sung, the prayer over the offerings of bread and wine asks that, through the Church’s missionary ministry, the fruits of redemption may reach all the earth. Pope Leo XIV then prays the First Eucharistic Prayer (the Roman Canon), followed by the Communion Rite. At its conclusion, the Pope prays that God may confirm the Church in unity and charity and grant that he himself may be saved and protected, along with the flock entrusted to his care.

Concluding Rites

Before the celebration ends, the Pope offers a brief address. After the singing of the Regina Caeli, he imparts the solemn blessing imbued with the biblical imagery of the vine and vineyard applied to the Church. He prays that the Lord may “look upon” and “protect” the vine He has planted and asks that His face of salvation may “shine” upon all.

Pope Leo celebrates Sunday Mass at tomb of St. Peter

 

• Pope Leo XIV
• Basilica di San Pietro
• prayer
• St. Augustine

Pope at Mass: Listen without judging

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass at the tomb of Saint Peter and prays by the niche of the Pallia.

By Vatican News

On Sunday morning, Pope Leo XIV visited the Vatican Grottoes to celebrate Holy Mass at the altar near the tomb of Saint Peter.

According to a statement by the Holy See Press Office, the Mass was concelebrated by Fr. Alejandro Moral Anton, Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine. 

Following the Mass, Pope Leo XIV spent time in silent prayer at the tombs of his predecessors. He also paused before the niche of the Pallia, the woolen stoles that symbolise the unity between the Pope and metropolitan archbishops across the world.

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in the Vatican Grottoes

Giving our lives to Christ

In his homily for what he called a particularly “significant” Sunday, the Pope—speaking first in English, then in Italian—reflected on the Gospel of the Good Shepherd.

As he begins his new Petrine ministry, he looked to the example of Jesus, “and whom we depend on.” On this Mother’s Day, which he made a point of acknowledging, Pope Leo said that “one of the most wonderful expressions of the love of God is the love that is poured out by mothers, especially to their children and grandchildren.”

Searching vocations together

Addressing the theme of vocations—at the heart of today’s World Day of Prayer for Vocations—Pope Leo recalled that the topic featured prominently during the recent meetings of the cardinals, both before and after his election.

“All of us,” he said, “must search together. First and foremost, by giving [a] good example in our lives, with joy, living the joy of the Gospel, not discouraging others, but rather looking for ways to encourage young people to hear the voice of the Lord and to follow it and to serve in the Church.”

The power of listening

Pope Leo also spoke of the universal call to proclaim the Gospel, urging the faithful: “Take heart! Don’t be afraid!”

Acknowledging that the mission sometimes involves sacrifice, he emphasized how essential it is to listen—to God’s Word and to one another.

“Listening is what allows us to enter into true dialogue,” he said, calling it the foundation for building bridges, something he has emphasized from the start of his pontificate.

“We have to know how to listen—not to judge, not to shut doors as if we hold all the truth and no one else has anything to offer,” the Pope said. From this posture of humility, he added, will come greater clarity about where the Lord is calling us.