Orthodox Church celebrates the Day of Apostles Peter and Paul

Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the day of Holy and Glorious Apostles Peter and Paul in honour of apostles' martyrdom in Rome.

This feast also marks the end of the Apostle Peter Fast, which began on the Monday following All Saints’ Sunday. The date changes every year due to Passover calendar. This year the fast has lasted one month.

The great feast helps us to remember about importancy of unity and diversity in the church life. Church reminds believers that nobody is sinless. Although these two people were very different they were both accepted by the Lord . Peter was an uneducated fisherman, while Paul knew several languages, being a scribe and a scholar. Peter was married, and Paul was a virgin. Peter was the beloved disciple of Jesus, while Paul have never met the Lord personally, and at the beginning was dedicated to persecute the early disciples of Jesus. St. Peter has become the symbol of church hierarchy, while St Paul - the symbol of free Christianity.

The head of Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Krill visits St. Petersburg today. The festive divine service will take place in Peter and Paul Cathedral, where burial vault of Russian Emperors is located.

Russkiy Mir