Feast of the Chair of St Peter, Apostle

The feast of the Chair of Saint Peter at Rome has been celebrated from the early days of the Christian era in commemoration of the day when Saint Peter held his first service in Rome.  On this day we recall the special role of Peter and pray for Peter’s successor, the Pope, the bishop of Rome.

In the first reading (1 Peter 5:1-4) we hear Peter giving testimony to his vocation “I am an elder myself and a witness to the sufferings of Christ” and in the Gospel (Matthew 16:13-19) Peter says to Jesus “You are the Christ” and Jesus in return proclaims “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church.”