St. Apostle St.

The fact that we have the opportunity to acquire and learn the righteous path, where our personality can reach the limit of human dreams, happy and blissful eternal life, we owe it to Jesus' disciples. The holy apostles of Christ in their apostolic mission were chosen by God from poor and fearful people with ordinary human weaknesses in order to become fishers of men from fishermen.

Apostles Peter and Paul

Two opposites: the elder brother of Andrew the First-Called Peter was an uneducated and poor fisherman, while Paul was from a noble, honorable family, a citizen of the Roman Empire, a student of the scribe and Pharisee, the Jewish teacher of the law Gamaliel.

Paul was the holy apostle of Christ, a faithful disciple; from the very beginning of his sermons he accompanied the Savior in all events. The worst enemy who incited hatred of Christianity was Paul. Everywhere and everywhere he persecuted believers, enlisting the support of the Sanhedrin. Peter had weak faith in Jesus and denied Him three times, but bitterly and sadly repented each time and, having fervently believed, became the foundation of the church.

The two opposites of Paul's simplicity and Peter's oratory embody fortitude and intelligence, two fundamental and necessary qualities missionary.

Apostle John

John the Theologian is probably the most famous and only apostle who was always present at all the events that happened with Jesus and the evangelists, describing them in his writings. We really know a lot about him, in addition, 4 more books included in the collection bear his name. New Testament- this is Revelation and three messages.

The holy apostle of Christ, John, is also called the apostle of love; it is this term that he most often uses in his short, but memorable and vivid messages.

Apostle and Evangelist Matthew

Nothing has reached us about the details of the life of this apostle; we only know that he was in the service of the Roman regime in the city of Copernaum as a tax collector and profited from his compatriots.

Hearing the sermons of Jesus, after inviting Him to his home, Levi (Matthew) repented and, having distributed his property, joined the number of the holy apostles who followed the Savior.

Wrote his Gospel (Gospel of Matthew), which Greek translation(the original Hebrew text has not survived) entered the canons of the New Testament as the first book. After Pentecost, he preached for eight years in Palestine, and later in Syria, Persia, Ethiopia, Media and Parthia.

Apostle Andrew

The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called was next to Christ throughout the entire period of their long journey and public service. After the Savior was resurrected, his other disciples and Andrew the First-Called had the honor of meeting Him on the Mount of Olives, before the Lord’s ascension to Heaven, where they received a blessing to preach with the rest of the disciples.

He began his preaching in the Scythian lands through the Tauride region, where he became the founder Orthodox Christianity V Kievan Rus and, subsequently, in Russia.

Upon his return to Patros, Greece, he was sentenced to martyrdom by the city's elite and tied to an X-shaped cross. During the reign of Tsar Peter I, the cross on which the Apostle Andrew was executed became a symbol of the Russian fleet, called the “St. Andrew’s Flag” and depicted on a white background as a horizontal cross of sky-blue color.

Apostle Thomas

Among Peter, John and James, whom the Messiah always took with Him, Thomas cannot be called one of best students of the holy apostles of Christ. Therefore, as much knowledge was not revealed to him as to others, but his significance of divine grace in the economy carried out by the church has its own clear and subtle depth.

Apostle and Evangelist Luke

From Antioch in Syria, the seventieth apostle of Christ was the companion of the Apostle Paul, the Greek physician and evangelist Luke. He came to Palestine, having learned about the teachings of Jesus, accepted it and was sent to carry the word about the Kingdom of Heaven during His lifetime. On the road to Emmaus, Luke and his companion Cleopus witnessed the appearance of the image of the resurrected Messiah before them.

When the Apostle Paul made his second missionary journey, Luke took part in it, after which they were already inseparable and continued to share all the painful moments of the feat accomplished in preaching.

He left Rome after the martyrdom of the chief apostles and continued to carry the word about God to Libya, Achaia, Egypt and Thebaid, where, having visited the city of Thebes, he ended his journey with martyrdom.

Apostle Philip

He was a native of the city of Bethsaida (Galilee), correctly understood the Old Testament prophecies and expected the appearance of the Savior, and knew the Holy Scriptures well. After the call of Christ, he followed him and joined the ranks of the holy apostles.

He preached in Galilee and accompanied it with miracles. After this, he preached the Word of God among the resettled Jews in Greece. As news of his preaching spread, scribes moved to Hellas from Jerusalem along with the high priest to accuse him.

Apostle Bartholomew

Among the twelve holy apostles of Christ, Bartholomew was a native of Cana of Galilee. On Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, he and Philip, after drawing lots, went to convey Holy Gospel to Asia Minor and Syria.

Along the way, they diverged and came together more than once, confirming their sermons with miracles and signs. Also on their journey, the sister of the Apostle Philip, the virgin Mariamne, was a companion and helped them.

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Chapter 1 1 James, a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are abroad, rejoice.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations,
3 Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance;
4 Let patience have its perfect work, so that you may be complete and complete, lacking nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, without doubting in the least, for he who doubts is like sea ​​wave, lifted and blown by the wind.
7 Let such a man not think that he will receive anything from the Lord.
8 A double-minded person is not steadfast in all his ways.
9 Let the humble brother boast in his greatness,
10 But the rich man will suffer through his humiliation, because he will pass away like a flower on the grass.
11 The sun rises, the heat sets in, and with the heat it dries up the grass, its color fades, the beauty of its appearance disappears; so the rich man fades in his ways.
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he is tested he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” because God is not tempted by evil and He Himself does not tempt anyone,
14 But everyone is tempted, being drawn away and enticed by his own lust;
15 But lust, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and when sin is committed, it gives birth to death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning.
18 When He desired, He begot us by the word of truth, that we might be some firstfruits of His creatures.
19 Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
20 For the wrath of man does not bring about the righteousness of God.
21 Therefore, putting aside all uncleanness and any remaining wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 Be ye therefore doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For whoever hears the word and does not do it is like a man looking at the natural features of his face in a mirror:
24 he looked at himself, walked away and immediately forgot what he was like.
25 But whoever looks into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continues in it, he, being not a forgetful listener, but a doer of the work, will be blessed in his action.
26 If anyone among you thinks that he is godly and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, his religion is empty.
27 Pure and undefiled godliness before God and the Father is this: to look upon orphans and widows in their afflictions and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Chapter 2 1 My brothers! have faith in Jesus Christ our Lord of glory, regardless of persons.
2 For if a man with a gold ring and rich clothing comes into your congregation, a poor man will also come in with scanty clothing,
3 And you, looking at the one dressed in rich clothes, will say to him: it is good for you to sit here, and to the poor person you will say: stand there, or sit here at my feet, -
4 Are you not over-judging yourself and becoming judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brethren: has not God chosen the poor of the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to those who love Him?
6 But you have despised the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you, and is it not they who drag you into court?
7 Are they not the ones who dishonor good name what are you called?
8 If you fulfill the king’s law, according to the Scripture: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.
9 But if you act with partiality, you commit sin and are found to be transgressors before the law.
10 If anyone keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For the same One who said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, also said, Thou shalt not kill; Therefore, if you do not commit adultery, but kill, then you are also a transgressor of the law.
12 Thus speak and act thus, as those who are to be judged according to the law of liberty.
13 For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy; mercy is exalted over judgment.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? can this faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food,
16 And one of you will say to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and nourished,” but will not give them what they need for the body: what good is it?
17 Likewise, if faith does not have works, it is dead in itself.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, but I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith without my works.
19 You believe that God is one: you do well; and the demons believe and tremble.
20 But do you want to know, O unfounded man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
22 Do you see that faith worked together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
23 And the word of the Scripture was fulfilled: “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God.”
24 Do you see that a person is justified by works, and not by faith alone?
25 In like manner, was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she received the spies and sent them away another way?
26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.
Chapter 3 1 My brothers! not many become teachers, knowing that we will suffer greater condemnation,
2 For we all sin many times. He who does not sin in word is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths so that they obey us, and we control their whole body.
4 Behold, ships, no matter how large they are and no matter how strong the winds blow, are guided with a small rudder wherever the pilot wants;
5 and the tongue is a small member, but does a lot. Look, a small fire ignites a lot of substance!
6 And the tongue is fire, the embellishment of unrighteousness; the tongue is in such a position between our members that it defiles the whole body and inflames the circle of life, being itself inflamed by Gehenna.
7 For every nature of beasts and birds, reptiles and sea creatures is tamed and tamed by human nature,
8 But none of the people can tame the tongue: this is an uncontrollable evil; it is filled with deadly poison.
9 With it we bless God and the Father, and with it we curse men, created in the likeness of God.
10 From the same mouth comes blessing and curse: this, my brethren, must not be so.
11 Does sweet and bitter water flow from the same hole?
12 My brethren, a fig tree cannot bear olives, nor a vine fig tree. Likewise, one source cannot pour out salty and sweet water.
13 Whether any of you is wise and understanding, prove this by actual good behavior with wise meekness.
14 But if you have bitter envy and contentiousness in your heart, do not boast or lie about the truth.
15 This is not wisdom coming down from above, but earthly, spiritual, demonic,
16 For where there is envy and contentiousness, there is disorder and everything evil.
17 But the wisdom that comes from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, obedient, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and without hypocrisy.
18 But the fruit of righteousness in peace is sown to those who keep peace.
Chapter 4 1 Where do you get hostility and strife? Is it not from here, from your lusts that war in your members?
2 You desire and do not have; you kill and envy - and cannot achieve; you bicker and quarrel - and you do not have, because you do not ask.
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, but to use it for your lusts.
4 Adulterers and adulterers! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is enmity against God? So, whoever wants to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain: “The spirit that dwells in us loves jealously”?
6 But grace gives all the more; That is why it is said: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God; resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you; Cleanse your hands, you sinners; straighten your hearts, you double-minded.
9 Be afflicted, weep and howl; Let your laughter turn into crying, and your joy into sadness.
10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
11 Do not curse one another, brothers: whoever curses his brother or judges his brother, the law reviles him and the law judges him; and if you judge the law, then you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.
12 There is one Lawgiver and Judge, able to save and destroy; and who are you who judges another?
13 Now listen to you who say: “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and we will live there for one year, and we will trade and make a profit”;
14 You who do not know what will happen tomorrow: for what is your life? steam that appears for a short time and then disappears.
15 Instead of saying to you, “If the Lord wills and we live, we will do this or that,”
16 You, in your arrogance, are vainglorious: all such vainglory is evil.
17 Therefore, if anyone knows to do good and does not do it, it is sin for him.
Chapter 5 1 Listen, you rich people: weep and howl for your troubles that are coming upon you.
2 Your wealth is rotten, and your clothes are moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver are rusty, and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire: you have laid up for yourselves treasure for the last days.
4 Behold, the wages which you withheld from the laborers who reaped your fields cry out, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
5 You lived luxuriously on earth and enjoyed; nourish your hearts as for the day of slaughter.
6 You condemned and killed the Righteous One; He didn't resist you.
7 Therefore, brothers, be patient until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and for it he endures for a long time until he receives the early and late rain.
8 Be patient and strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is drawing near.
9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, lest you be condemned: behold, the Judge stands at the door.
10 Take, my brothers, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of suffering and long-suffering.
11 Behold, we bring joy to those who have endured. You have heard about Job’s patience and seen the end of it from the Lord, for the Lord is very merciful and compassionate.
12 Above all, my brethren, do not swear by heaven or earth or by any other oath, but let it be “yes, yes” and “no, no,” so that you will not fall into condemnation.
13 If any of you suffers, let him pray. If anyone is happy, let him sing psalms.
14 If any of you is sick, let him call the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
15 And the prayer of faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will forgive him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed: the earnest prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
17 Elijah was a man like us, and he prayed with prayer that there would be no rain: and there was no rain on the earth for three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again: and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth its fruit.
19 Brothers! If any of you wanders from the truth, and someone converts him,
20 Let him know that he who converts a sinner from his false path will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

The Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our salvation through suffering and death on the cross. He took on our flesh and blood so that “by death he might destroy him who has the power of death” (Heb. 2:14). He became like the brethren in everything, so that “just as He Himself... endured being tempted,” He could help those who were tempted” (Heb. 2:18). By suffering, Christ “learned obedience” (Heb. 5:8) “and became the author of eternal salvation for all who obeyed him” (Heb. 5:9).

Therefore, suffering in a person’s life is not meaningless. First of all, they are the way of a Christian, by which he becomes like Christ, unites with Him and, thus, participates in His salvation. Suffering should be perceived as imitation of the Lord Jesus Christ and following Him (1 Pet. 2:21; James 1:3-4).

In order to endure suffering and sorrow with constancy, “you must have patience and strong faith, looking to the future reward, as all the Old Testament righteous did” (Heb. 11). We, having so many witnesses, should follow this path, looking to “Jesus, the perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross” (Heb. 12:2).

Through sorrow, suffering and punishment we become children of God (Heb. 12:7). How loving Father, God punishes the one He adopted. Suffering and sorrow are the path to correction and purification. By suffering, a person “ceases from sinning” (1 Pet. 4:1-2). Now it seems to us that punishments are a cause for sorrow, but then they will “deliver the peaceful fruit of righteousness” to those who are taught through him (Heb. 12:11). If a person suffers for the evil deeds he has committed, this, of course, cannot be perceived as a reward, but as a completely fair retribution. Innocent suffering makes a person like Christ, since He also suffered death on the cross, being sinless (1 Pet. 2:19-20,22-24; 3:17-18; 4:14-19). St. ap. Peter calls for patiently and meekly to endure undeserved suffering, reminding believers of Isaiah’s prophecy about the meekness of Christ, by whose stripes we were healed (1 Pet. 2:19-25). Everyone has their own measure of suffering and their own responsibility for it (James 1:9-12). The consolation for us in suffering is the future joy and triumph at the appearing of Christ (1 Pet. 4:13).

The suffering of Christians is evidence of the truth of the faith they profess, since they inspire others to confess Christ. So the bonds of St. ap. Paul contributed to the success of the gospel preaching (Phil. 1:14).

Just as the Son of God, having voluntarily accepted suffering, humbled Himself, “taking on the form of a servant, humbled Himself, becoming obedient even to death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:7,8) “learned obedience” to the Father, and us ours suffering teaches humility and obedience (Heb. 5:7-9).

The sufferings of Christ served for His glory (Phil. 2:9). A believer in the Lord needs to participate in the sufferings of Christ, “being conformed to His death” (Phil. 3:10), in order to achieve resurrection and eternal life with Him. The Lord will in the future “transform our humble body so that it will be conformed to His glorious body, according to the power by which He works to subject all things to Himself” (Phil. 3:21).

Social issues of interest to the first Christians, but relevant for all generations, are given quite a lot of attention in the messages of the holy Apostles. One of these can be called the question of the attitude of Christians to secular power.

According to the teaching of the Apostles, Christians must show respect (1 Pet. 2:17; Rom. 13:7), favor, obedience and fidelity (Titus 2:9-10; 1 Pet. 2:13) to civil authorities:

ü since any power, especially one that punishes evil and encourages good, must be perceived as given from God, due to which obedience to it is a sign of reverence for God and, on the contrary, resistance to it is resistance to the will of God (Rom. 13:1-2);

ü out of fear of punishment for evil, unwanted deeds, without forgetting that one should truly fear only God’s punishment (Rom. 13:3-4; 1 Pet. 2:14);

ü for moral reasons, i.e. at the request of the Christian conscience for the sake of the Lord (Rom. 13:5; 1 Pet. 2:13; 1 Tim. 2:3–4), remembering that “if the Christian conscience... resists fulfilling the demands of the authorities that go against this conscience, then a Christian obliged to obey the voice of conscience more than the demands of the authorities... The right to disobey the commands of the authorities is granted... exclusively in matters of religion, when state power begins to eradicate the true faith by despotic measures";

Christians should pray for those in power, for the peaceful course of our lives largely depends on them (1 Tim. 2:1-3).

Message of St. Ap. Paul to the Philippians

Message of St. ap. Paul to the Philippians can be called a “letter of joy,” since in it the Apostle repeatedly expresses his joy about the success of the gospel preaching and the faith of his brothers in Christ, and also calls all believers to joy in the Lord, to unanimity in the faith (Phil. 1 ,25; 2 ,1–2; 3 ,1). The Holy Apostle says that he himself joyfully offers prayer to the Lord for the participation of the Philippians in the gospel (Phil. 1:4-5) and rejoices at their faithfulness to the Lord and His service (Phil. 2:2; 4:1).

The Philippians were sincerely devoted to the Apostle Paul and tried in every possible way to promote his ministry. The Apostle rejoices at this, since by showing mercy to him, as a servant of Christ, his disciples serve the Lord (Phil. 2:17-18) and responds to the Philippians with ardent love and joy for them (Phil. 4:10). The Philippians devoted to the Apostle Paul were concerned about his imprisonment and the Holy Apostle encouraged them, saying that his bonds also served to benefit the cause, for “most of the brothers in the Lord, encouraged by the bonds... began to preach with greater boldness, fearlessly The Word of God". (Phil. 1:14).

Bishop Cassian, mentioning that in modern science last to the Philippians was called a “message of joy,” expresses the opinion that the Apostle, seeing something that could interfere with the joy of his beloved disciples (probably, we are talking about the preaching of the Judaizers, since Phil. 3:3 speaks of circumcision), decided to warn them ( Phil. 3:2).

Sv.ap. Paul says about himself that he left all his previous education and position in society for the sake of knowing the Lord, believing in Christ, participating in His suffering and achieving the resurrection (Phil. 3: 8-11). And he calls on all believers in Christ to think the same way, to strive to imitate Christ in His humility and suffering. Like all Christians, “the Philippians should imitate Paul. His path of following Christ must become their path."

One must follow Christ through the path of His humility and obedience to God, leading to glory (Phil. 2:5-11). Having assumed the human form, Christ, in His utmost obedience to God the Father, reached the utmost humiliation - the shameful death on the cross. But this was followed by glorification from the Father, which consisted in bestowing upon Him the name “above every name” (Phil. 2:9).

The cause of the incarnation, and therefore the humiliation of Christ, was served by the Most Holy. Mother of God. The path “that led the Virgin Mary to the mystery of unmarried conception was boundless humility... Those who follow Christ along the path of His humility must enter glory with Him.”

Message of St. Ap. Paul to the Ephesians and Colossians

According to the teachings of St. Apostle Paul:

v Christ is the true God (Col. 1 , 15–17; 2 ,9).

v In the Lord Jesus Christ the mystery of eternal predestination to salvation was revealed (Eph. 1 , 4,9; 3 , 9,11).

v Redemption is a revelation of divine love. (Eph. 3 , 18–19).

v Salvation is accomplished by the entire Holy Trinity - according to the good pleasure of the Father, Christ in the Holy Spirit (Col. 1 , 19).

v Redemption is accomplished without any merit on our part (Eph. 2 , 8).

v The death of the Savior on the cross is a Sacrifice that was offered to the entire Holy Trinity (Eph. 5 , 2).

v Through this sacrifice, the Lord Jesus Christ reconciled man with God (Col. 1:20), “having put to death the enmity” (Eph. 2:16).

v In the humanity of Christ, humanity, dead in crime, is quickened, recreated, and taken up into heaven (Eph. 2 ,5–6; Col. 3 ,10–11).

v Christ absolved from sins, broke the oath, delivered from the power of the devil, redeemed with His Blood (Eph. 1 , 7; Col. 1 , 12–13, 2 , 14–15).

v Christ became the guarantee of our resurrection. (Col. 1 , 18, 3, 3,4).

v The Church was founded on the Cross (Eph. 1 , 22–23; 5 , 25–27), in which the barrier between Jews and Gentiles was destroyed. (Eph. 2 , 14–16,18. Col. 1 , 21–22).

v For salvation it is necessary to remain in the Church. (Eph. 5:23; Col. 2:18–19).

v Salvation is universal (Eph. 1 , 10; Col. 1 , 20,23).

You can pray to Saints Peter and Paul depicted on the icon together, or you can turn to them separately.

First of all, they pray to the Holy Chief Apostles Peter and Paul to be established in the faith. They pray to the holy apostles, if necessary, to help in converting non-Christians to the faith of Christ and in helping those people who have lost faith in Christ.
Saints Peter and Paul can help in healing from physical and mental illnesses; during their lifetime they were given miraculous abilities to heal people.
The Apostle Peter is the patron saint of fishermen; July 12 is considered their holiday “Fisherman's Day”. And prayers in front of the icon of St. Paul can help in studying; he was a very educated person for that time.

The Supreme Apostles Peter and Paul did a lot to spread Christianity on earth and they, of course, can help in any of your godly endeavors.

It must be remembered that icons or saints do not “specialize” in any specific areas. It will be right when a person turns with faith in the power of God, and not in the power of this icon, this saint or prayer.
And .

HOLIDAY - REMEMBRANCE DAY OF THE HOLY APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL

On the day of remembrance of the holy apostles Peter and Paul Orthodox Church glorifies two people who made enormous efforts to spread faith in Christ. For their labors they were called the supreme ones.

These saints had different paths to Heavenly glory: the Apostle Peter was with the Lord from the very beginning, later he rejected the Savior, renouncing him, but then repented.
The Apostle Paul was at first an ardent opponent of Christ, but then he believed in Him and became His firm supporter.

The celebration of the memory of both apostles falls on the same date - they were both executed in 67 in Rome on the same day under Emperor Nero. Immediately after their execution, the veneration of the holiness of the apostles began, and the burial place became a Christian shrine.
In the 4th century, in the then Orthodox cities of Rome and Constantinople, Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine erected churches that were consecrated in honor of the holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul on their memorial day, July 12 (new style).

LIFE OF THE APOSTLE PETER

Before being called to Christ, the saint lived in Capernaum, was married, and then his name was Simon. Having seen Jesus Christ while fishing on Lake Gennesaret, Simon followed the Lord and became His most devoted disciple.
He was the first to confess Jesus Christ as the Messiah - Jesus is

“Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16)

and then from the Lord himself he received the name Peter, which translated from Greek means stone or rock on which Jesus Christ promised to create the Church

“I tell you: you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

They said about the Apostle Simon Peter that he was impatient and sincere, like a child, and his faith in Christ was strong and unconditional. One day, while at sea in a boat, Peter tried, at the call of the Lord, to walk on the water as on earth.

Peter, together with James and John, had the honor of seeing with his own eyes the Transfiguration of the Lord on Mount Tabor. These were his words:

"God! It’s good for us to be here…” (Matthew 17; 4).

Peter, with all his ardor, defended the Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane; he cut off with his sword the ear of the man who came to arrest the Teacher.

The Gospel records how Peter denied three times that he was a follower of Jesus Christ. At his core, he denied the Lord, but then he deeply repented of this, after which Jesus Christ again “restored” him to apostolic dignity when he commissioned him (also three times) to shepherd His flock:

“Feed My lambs.”

The Lord used the most powerful weapon on the Apostle Peter - forgiveness. It is in forgiveness, and not in punishment, that a person remains with his shame, and perhaps, thanks to this situation, the Apostle Peter became a real shepherd, a guide on the path of people to faith in God.

After fifty days after the Resurrection of the Lord, after the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, Saint Peter preached the first sermon in his life. The words of Peter about the life of Jesus Christ and His martyrdom sank deep into the souls of the assembled people.

« What should we do?- they asked him.

“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:37-38)

After listening to his speech, about three thousand people became Christians that day. Very little time passed, Peter, with God’s help, healed the lame man,

“who was carried and seated every day at the door of the temple”

The patient got up and began to walk, praising God. Having seen such a miracle and heard what Peter said in his second sermon that the healing was not from him, but from God, another 5,000 people turned to faith. Once again, the Jewish priests rebelled against the belief in the resurrection of the dead, but this time their hatred was directed not at Jesus, but at His disciples Peter and John, who were captured and sent to prison. Members of the Sanhedrin tried to bargain with them, promising them freedom in exchange for not preaching about Christ. To this they received an answer from Peter:

“Judge, is it fair before God to listen to you more than to listen to God? We cannot help but say what we saw and heard.”

Fearing popular intercession for the apostles, they were soon released and with renewed vigor continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord.
The new faith in Christ became very popular among the people, many people began to sell their lands and estates and brought money for the apostles to help those in need. This is what the Lord Jesus Christ taught. But this had to be done voluntarily, without regret, then the money would go to a good cause. " A certain man named Ananias with his wife Sapphira“He also sold his estate, but having agreed, they decided not to give all the money to the apostles. When Ananias came to Saint Peter, he told him that God did not need such a sacrifice - this is a lie not before " to people, but to God" Ananias was overcome with fear and died of fright. And three hours later his wife came and, not yet knowing about what had happened, also confirmed the smaller amount of money for which the land was sold. The saint asked:

“Why did you agree to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, those who buried your husband are entering the door; and they will carry you out. Suddenly she fell and gave up the ghost.”

Thus, at the very beginning of the establishment of life according to Christ’s laws, God’s anger manifested itself against its violators.
In 42, Herod Agrippa, who was the grandson of Herod the Great, began persecuting Christians. By his order, the Apostle James of Zebedee was executed, and Peter was taken into custody. While in prison, through prayers to the Lord, an Angel of God appeared to Peter at night, freed the prisoner and led him out of captivity.
Saint Peter put in a lot of work in spreading the faith of Christ. He preached in Asia Minor, then in Egypt, where he ordained the first bishop of the Alexandrian Church, Mark. Then in Greece, Rome, Spain, Carthage and England.

According to legend, it was from the words of St. Peter that the Gospel was written by the Apostle Mark. Of the New Testament books, two have come down to us Council messages Apostle Peter, who were addressed to the Christians of Asia Minor. In the First Epistle, the Apostle Peter addresses his brothers during their persecution by the enemies of Christ, thereby helping them, confirming their faith. In the Second Epistle, which was written shortly before his death, the apostle warns Christians against false preachers who appeared in Peter’s absence, distorting the essence of Christian morality and ethics, who preached licentiousness.
While in Rome, the Apostle Peter converted two wives of Emperor Nero to Christianity, which greatly angered the ruler. By his order, the apostle was imprisoned, but Peter managed to escape from custody. And so, according to legend, the apostle, who was walking along the road, met Christ, whom he asked:

“Where are you going Lord?”

and heard the answer:

“Since you are leaving my people, I am going to Rome for a new crucifixion.”

After these words, the Apostle Peter turned and went back to Rome.
This happened in the year 67 (according to some studies in the 64th) from the Nativity of Christ. When Saint Peter was led to execution, he asked to be executed upside down, since he believed that he should be bowed at His feet. The apostle never forgave himself for his triple denial of the Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane.
The body of Saint Apostle Peter was buried at the site of execution on Vatican Hill by Christians led by the Hieromartyr Clement of Rome.

THE LIFE OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

Unlike the Apostle Peter, Saint Paul was at first an ardent opponent of the Christian faith. He was one of the Pharisees, his name then was Saul. He received an excellent education and was firmly convinced that the persecution of Christians was pleasing to God. After all Christian teaching rebelled against Jehovah Old Testament and insulted his beloved Mosaic Law.
Saul was among the persecutors of the faith of Christ, he was with those who executed the first martyr Stephen, falsely accused of blasphemy against Moses and God.
But one day, on the way to Damascus, around noon, a great light suddenly shone from heaven and, as Paul himself later told about it:

Blinded by this light, Saul was led by the hand to Damascus. After three days, during which Saul was in prayer, one of the Lord’s disciples, Ananias, came to him, laid his hand on him, baptized him, and Saul received his sight. At first Ananias did not want to go to Saul, but the Lord said to him in a vision:

“...he is Mine chosen vessel to proclaim my name before nations and kings."

The Apostle later wrote about it this way:

“What was an advantage to me, I counted as loss for Christ’s sake. And I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.”

By the will of God, Saul became a zealous preacher of that teaching, which he had previously been a fierce persecutor of. In Damascus, precisely in the place where he had previously sought to eradicate Christianity, he began to testify about the Messiah. Former associates of Saul (Paul), Jews, " agreed to kill» him, having heard new sermons and began to lie in wait for him as he left the city gates. But the disciples lowered Saul in a basket from the city wall at night and secretly escorted him to Jerusalem, where he arrived in the year 37. Saul wanted to meet the apostles and, above all, Peter, but at first they did not believe that he, too, had become a disciple of the Lord until Barnabas began to testify for him. Saul lived with Peter for fifteen days and one day, while in prayer, he had a vision that the Lord was sending him away. far to the pagans" After which he went home to the city of Tarsus, and from there, together with Barnabas, who joined him, to Antioch, where they taught a considerable number of people who accepted Christianity. After Antioch, Saul and Barnabas went to Cyprus, where the proconsul Sergius Paulus wished to hear the word of God. After the sermon, despite the opposition of the Magi, the proconsul

“I believed, marveling at the teaching of the Lord.”

After this incident, in the Holy Scriptures, Saul began to be called Paul. Around the year 50, the saint arrived in Jerusalem to resolve a dispute between converted Christians from Jews and pagans about the observance of rituals. Having resolved this dispute, Paul, by decision of the Apostolic Council, together with his new companion Silas, set off on a new apostolic journey to “ Syria and Cilicia, establishing churches»
In Macedonia, the holy apostle healed a maid possessed by the spirit of prophecy, “ who through divination brought great income to her masters" Its owners became terribly angry with Pavel, grabbed him and dragged him to the authorities. Blaming the people for the indignation, Paul and Silas were imprisoned. At night, after their prayers to the Lord, there was a great earthquake, the doors were opened, and their bonds were weakened. The guard, seeing this miracle, immediately believed in Christ. After what happened at night, the next morning the governors decided to release " of those people", but the Apostle Paul answered:

“We, Roman citizens, were publicly beaten and thrown into prison without trial, and now we are being secretly released? No, let them come and take us out themselves.”

Roman citizenship helped Pavel, the governors came to them and honorably released them from prison.
After Macedonia, Saint Paul preached in the Greek cities of Athens and Corinth, where his epistles to Thessalonians were written. On his third apostolic journey (56-58), he wrote a letter to the Galatians (regarding the strengthening of the Judaizing party there) and the first letter to the Corinthians.

12 chapters of the New Testament are devoted to the works of the Apostle Paul, and another 16 are a story about the exploits of the saint, about his labors in building the Church of Christ, about the suffering he endured. Saint Paul believed that he

“I am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Cor. 15:9).

Like Saint Peter, who until the end of his life suffered from denial of the Lord, Paul also remembered until the end of his days that in the past he was a persecutor of his beloved Christ, whom God’s grace pulled out of destructive error:

“Thou hast given an image of the conversion of those who sinned, both of Thy apostles: the one who rejected Thee during the passion and repented, but resisted Thy preaching and believed...”

As a troublemaker, the supreme apostle Paul was executed. Peter was crucified on Vatican Hill, and Paul, as a Roman citizen, could not be put to such a shameful death, so he was beheaded outside Rome.

Such different personalities, such different destinies!

As Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh said in one of his sermons on the Day of Remembrance of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul:

“The radical persecutor and the believer met in one from the beginning, one faith about the victory of Christ - by the Cross and Resurrection... They turned out to be fearless preachers: neither torment, nor the cross, nor crucifixion, nor prison - nothing could separate them from the love of Christ, and they preached, and this preaching really was what the Apostle Paul calls it : “Our faith is victorious over the world.”

Speaking about the importance of the days of remembrance of all the saints of Orthodoxy, Bishop Philaret says:

“Remember your teachers, imitate their faith.”

On July 12, we remember the holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul, which means that, remembering them, we must imitate them, inherit their apostolic ministry to the best of our ability, joyfully testifying to the Lord Jesus Christ. How much can we imitate them? What strength do you need to have for this? Most often we do not have such strength, but this is not a reason for despondency, because Bishop Anthony says:

“If we cannot achieve such strong faith as that of the Apostle Peter in order to walk on waters and raise the dead, if we cannot acquire such Divine wisdom as that of the Apostle Paul in order to convert thousands of people to Christ with our words, then let us try to imitate them unfeigned repentance and deepest humility."

GREATNESS

We magnify you, Christ's apostles Peter and Paul, who enlightened the whole world with your teachings and brought everything to Christ.

VIDEO

St. Supreme Apostle Peter(Simon) preached first in Judea, then in Antioch, in Bethany, in Asia, in Ilipitsa, as well as throughout Italy and in Rome itself. In Rome he was crucified upside down under Emperor Nero. Apostle Peter, together with the Apostle Paul, as those who labored most in preaching the faith of Christ, were named the Holy Church supreme.

St. Supreme Apostle Paul(Saul) preached in many countries, from Jerusalem to the capital of the world, Rome. In Rome he was beheaded by Emperor Nero.

St. ap. Andrew the First-Called, was within our Fatherland, he erected a cross on the Kyiv mountains, predicting the future enlightenment of Russia with the faith of Christ. He preached along the shores of the Black Sea and in other countries. In Byzantium he ordained Stachys, one of the seventy disciples, as bishop. In the city of Patras, in Achaia (Greece), the pagans crucified him on a cross of a special shape, in the likeness of the letter X, which therefore became known as St. Andrew's cross.

St. ap. Jacob Zavedeev- preached in Jerusalem, and the first of the apostles suffered for Christ. By order of the Jewish king Herod Agrippa, he was beheaded in Jerusalem.

St. ap. Evangelist John the Theologian, after suffering in Rome, was exiled to Fr. Patmos. St. ap. John lived longer than all the apostles and died peacefully in Asia in the mountains. Ephesus. According to legend, St. apostle by at will, was buried alive by his disciples. When, soon after the burial, the Christians who came dug up his grave, the bodies of St. ap. John was not there.

St. ap. Philip- preached in Asian countries together with the Apostle Bartholomew and his sister Mariamia. In Phrygia (province of Asia Minor) in the mountains. Hierapolis, suffered martyrdom - he was crucified upside down.

St. ap. Bartholomew(Nathanael) - preached first together with the apostle. Philip in Syria and Asia, then was in India and translated the Gospel of Matthew into the Indian language; then he preached in Armenia, where he suffered martyrdom in the mountains. Alvane: according to some information, he was crucified upside down, according to other information, he was flogged to death.

St. ap. Thomas(Gemini) - preached in many Asian countries, reaching India, where he suffered martyrdom for Christ. He was pierced by spears and then beheaded by a sword.

St. ap. Evangelist Matthew- preached for a long time in Judea, and then throughout Ethiopia (present-day Abyssinia, Nubia, Cardafan, Darfur, etc.). He was killed with a sword in one of the cities of Ethiopia.

St. ap. Jacob Alfeev- preached in Syria, Egypt and others various countries. In one of them, he was crucified on the cross, accepting martyrdom for Christ.

St. ap. Judah Jacob(Thaddeus or Leveus) - preached in Judea, Galilee, Samaria and Idumea, Arabia, Syria and Mesopotamia. In the Ararat country he was hanged on the tree of the cross and shot with arrows.

St. ap. Simon Zealot or Canaanite - preached in Mauritania and Africa. Was also in England (formerly called Britain). For preaching the faith of Christ, he was crucified on the cross, according to some sources in Georgia, by order of the Iberian king Aderkiy, and according to other sources, in Persia.

St. ap. Matthias, chosen from among the 70 to replace the fallen Judas. He preached in Judea and outer Ethiopia. Returning to Judea, he suffered for Christ, being first stoned and then beheaded.

St. ap. Evangelist Mark- from among the 70, companion and employee of the ap. Petra. He also preached on the shores of the Adriatic Sea. He accepted martyrdom in Alexandria.

St. ap. Evangelist Luke- from among the 70, companion and employee of the ap. Pavel. He then preached in Libya, Egypt, Thebaid and Thebes. Finished his exploits martyrdom.

St. ap. Jacob (from among the 70),
brother of the Lord, first bishop of Jerusalem

St. ap. Jacob, the Righteous, out of 70. The first Bishop of Jerusalem, appointed by the Lord himself. He is called the Brother of the Lord. According to legend, he was the son of Joseph the Betrothed, from his first marriage. St. James was thrown by the Jews from the roof of the Jerusalem Temple, and then killed by a blow to the head. This was around '62.

St. ap. James was the first to set out the rite of the Divine Liturgy, which forms the basis of the Liturgies of Saints Basil the Great and John Chrysostom now celebrated.

Liturgy of St. ap. Jacob and is now performed in Jerusalem on the day of his memory.