St Peter: Significant moments

While fishing in the Lake of Gennesaret , Simon was called by Jesus to be his follower along with his brother Andrew . Seeing them cast a net for fish, He told them "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

The Gospel of Matthew proclaims that Saint Peter professes Jesus to be the promised messiah of the Old Testament . Jesus answered, "Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church".

Jesus predicted to his disciples that they would "fall away" from him on the night of his arrest. Peter replied, "Even if all desert you, I will never desert you." Jesus answered, "In truth I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times." Confronted after Jesus had been arrested, Peter did deny knowing Jesus to avoid being arrested himself. When he heard a cock crow, he remembered what Jesus had said, and wept.

The author of Acts portrays Peter as an extremely important figure of the early Christian community, second only to Paul. Peter takes the lead in selecting a replacement for Judas . He is twice examined, with John , by the Sanhedrin . He undertakes a missionary journey of Lydda , Joppa and Caesarea .

According to tradition, St Peter was crucified upside down, possibly at his own request because he did not want to be equated with Jesus.

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