SAINT PETER(died about AD 64), was the most prominent of the 12 disciples of Jesus, often serving as their spokesman and consistently named first in lists of the Twelve. At Caesarea Philippi, he proclaimed Jesus to be the Messiah and was subsequently rebuked (according to Mark 8:33) or praised (see Mathew 16:17) by Jesus. Jesus foretold that Peter would deny him three times on the night of Jesus' arrest and, when the prophecy was fulfilled, Peter suffered a great deal of guilt. However, the first appearance of the resurrected Jesus was to Peter.

     It is known that the name that he was Christened with, and that he grew up with, was Simon. At that time, the Greek word petros("rock") and the Aramaic equivalent, cephas, were not used for personal names. Thus, "Peter" seems to be symbolic, only having come to be his name through the passage of time.

     Peter was perceived to have been entrusted with a special vocation to preach the gospel as opposed to tangible authority. Peter played a crucial role in the early Christian church in Jerusalem, having received a special call to preach to his fellow Jews. He also took the important position that the Christian message of salvation to all did not require non-Jews to follow the legal and ritual customs of Judaism. Designated by Jesus as the rock upon which the church was to be founded, he conducted his missionary travels in the company of his wife. He died a martyr in Rome.

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