The Pope |
|
|
|
Jesus said to the disciple Peter, 'You are Peter, (his name means 'rock') and upon this rock I will build my church. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven'. (Matthew 16v18-19). Catholics believe that the first Pope was St. Peter, one of the twelve disciples who had followed Christ from the very beginning of His work. |
Statue of St. Peter Photograph clipart.com |
|
| When Christ told Peter that he would be the 'foundation' of his Church, he also said that he would hold the 'keys' to the Kingdom of Heaven. In other words that he would be inspired by the Holy Spirit to show the way to God as Christ had done himself. Having chosen a successor, Christ was implying that others should come after Peter as well. Since then there has been an unbroken handing on of leadership from Pope to Pope - this is called the 'Apostolic Succession'. The Papal Coat of Arms includes two crossed keys to symbolise Christ's words. |  |
The Papal Coat of Arms |
 |
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and Sovereign of the Vatican City (a city within a city) and this has been the case since the time of St. Peter, almost without exception. At the time of Christ, Rome was the Capital of the Roman Empire - the most important City in the Western world. |
St. Peter's Basilica Photograph by Mike Strange |
|
Both St. Peter and St. Paul worked there and were eventually martyred there. St. Peter's Basilica is built over the place where St. Peter was killed and buried. |
|
 |
Next |
|
Go back to 'Churches - Roman Catholic' |