When the feast of Peter and Paul

One of the most common religions in the world is Christianity. It appeared in the 1st century, and this event is associated with the birth and preaching of the laws of God by Jesus Christ, who is considered to be the son of God and the deliverer of mankind from the bonds of original sin.

Having several directions and trends, Christianity unites more than 2.4 billion people into one group. It affects not only the number of believers, but also the geography of its distribution. Almost every country, every inhabited corner of the globe has this or that representation of this religion. Therefore, it is not surprising that some church dates are marked more often than state ones. One such example is the feast of the apostles Peter and Paul. Today we will talk about it.

Memorial Day

The full name of this church date is the Day of the Saints of the First-Ever Apostles Peter and Paul. When the feast of Peter and Paul is celebrated by Orthodox Christians? He has to on July 12 for a new style.

It should also be noted that, unlike many religious celebrations that have a changing calendar, the Orthodox holiday of Peter and Paul is celebrated on a strictly certain day. This church date, commemorating the disciples of Christ, is determined by the day of their death. It was on July 12, with a difference of one year, that both Peter and Paul took a martyr's death in the name of their faith and beliefs that they carried to the people, hoping to sow in the hearts of people the seeds of good, hope and faith in the Most High.

First mention

When was the feast of Peter and Paul celebrated for the first time? This is quite a frequent question, which is asked by believers. The first mention of him refers to the IV century. The venue was the city of Rome, where this tradition was introduced by local bishops. Unfortunately, no reliable information about the events held in those days has survived to this day.

Apostles - who are they?

As you know, Peter and Paul were apostles. The concept has several meanings, but they all imply an envoy or follower of some idea. The main association that arises in almost all people at the mention of this word is precisely the disciples of Christ, who have adopted his doctrine of Christianity.

The apostles who accompanied Christ were only 12. They were people of different professions. All of them came from different strata of the population. Neither the city nor the occupation - nothing united these people. Nothing but faith in one god and his son Jesus.

Sincere attitude to his work, a deep conviction in the correctness of the chosen path and the ability to convince surrounding people - that's what distinguished these people from the rest of the masses and predetermined the choice of Christ in electing them their disciples. The brothers James and John, Bartholomew, Thomas, Philip, Jacob Alfeyev, Matvey, Simon Zilot, Judas Iscariot, Judas Jacob, and the brothers Peter and Andrew are the names of the first apostles of Christ who comprehended the light of the future greatness of the kingdom of heaven during the life of the son of God.

The Apostle Peter

Peter was one of the most loved and close to Christ disciples. It was he who called him the Messiah and served him jealously, fulfilling all his covenants. The name Peter, signifying the stone, he received from Jesus after accepting a new faith.

Up to this point he was an ordinary fisherman, who bore the worldly name Simon, had a wife and two children. The turning point in the life of the future apostle was the appearance of the son of God, who called him to his disciples, revealing a miracle: Jesus Christ reached his fishing boat directly on the water. And did it in a storm, and then pacified the raging elements.

There was a time when the beloved disciple of the Messiah thrice denied him after imprisoning him in prison. But this act did not affect their further relations. After repentance he was forgiven, and proved the strength of his faith with further interest in his further activity.

Being an uneducated man, Peter already in his first sermon converted into true faith more than 3 thousand people. He had the gift to heal people and knew how to anticipate many events. Even his death, he predicted in advance, but did not get scared of this and walked the chosen path to the end. In 67, Peter was crucified in one of the squares of Rome.

The Apostle Paul

Paul, unlike most apostles, was not a disciple of Christ in his lifetime. Saul, the so-called Paul before his adoption of Christianity, was born in Asia Minor, had a very good education for that time and was one of the most zealous persecutors of Christians. It is for this reason that his way to Jesus and faith was long and thorny.

Following in Damascus for the next pogrom of Christians in this city, he was blinded by divine light and heard the voice of Christ, who asked him about the reasons for the persecution of his followers. Christ called him to his disciples and to further repentance. It's amazing that neither the light, nor the voices accompanying Paul people saw or heard.

After the vision was returned to the sick one of the disciples of Christ, Paul finally became convinced of the power of God and the need to bring it to every person. Having a good education, Paul was a wonderful speaker and easily found the way to the hearts of not only ordinary people, but also philosophers, as well as learned men of his time. He, like many other apostles, could do great things, healing people and even resurrecting them from the dead.

Paul was the first to leave behind a written legacy of Christianity. He took a martyr's death, having lost his head, because according to the laws of the Roman Empire, he, being its citizen, could not be crucified on the cross.

Disagreements between Peter and Paul

Despite common ideas, goals and one direction, there were some differences between the great apostles. Paul was not a supporter of Peter's tolerance for certain habits and actions, originating from the times of the Old Testament. Peter, in turn, considered certain moments in the statements of his adherent somewhat incomprehensible and indigestible. Of course, these differences were primarily due to the difference in education, resulting in such a variety of life positions.

In the church, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul is associated with the moment of martyrdom, pilgrimage and the atonement of sins, and this is reflected in church services.

Folk Traditions

In the people, the church feast of Peter and Paul is always particularly honorable. On the day of his offensive, the youth came out to meet the dawn. It was believed that the sun on this day shines in a special way and can bring beauty, strength and luck. People believed that water on this day can wash away sins and lighten the soul of man. But people were afraid to bathe, as water could "take away the victim." Ablution in streams and lakes helped the peasants in their quest to purify themselves. This day was also favorable for fishermen and peasants, who most often started harvesting.