St. Peter

I'm sure you have all noticed the new statue of St. Peter gazing down on you as you walk up and enter the church. The statue is a replica of the St.Peter statue in the Vatican. St. Peter's feast day is June 29th and he is the Patron Saint of fishermen, net makers, and ship builders.

There are many stories about Peter, but one of note was when he was imprisoned by King Herod Agrippa and was able to escape with the help of an angel.

In 1950 human bones were discovered beneath the alter of St. Peter's Basilica and many claimed they belonged to Peter. In 1953 an excavation found St. Peter's tomb in Jerusalem bearing his previous name Simon, as well as the tombs of the other apostles, Mary, and Jesus.

Also according to tradition, St. Peter was crucified upside down by the Romans at his own request, because he felt he wasn't worthy to die in the manner in which his Lord was executed. Since the pope is St. Peter's successor, he sits in a chair with an upside-down cross imaged on it, in honor of the memory of his death. He was 64 years old when he died.