Chair of St. Peter at Rome - January 18th
St. Peter was the Prince of the Apostles and the first Pope. After Jesus went back to Heaven, St. Peter preached the Gospel and ruled the Church, as Jesus had told him to do. At first, he labored in Jerusalem and in Antioch, two big cities of the East. Later, he went to preach the Gospels in Rome. Rome, the great capital of the world, was a wicked pagan city. But there, with the help of God, St. Peter soon brought many souls to Jesus.
The Feast of St. Peter's Chair at Rome reminds us of the great Church St. Peter founded in that city. St Peter was martyred for the faith, but down through the ages there has always been a Bishop of Rome. He is the Pope and he rules the whole Church, as St. Peter did, in the name of Jesus. We call the successor of St. Peter the Holy Father.
We love and honor the Pope because he takes the place of Jesus on earth. Let us always pray for our Holy Father, that God may give him strength, light and consolation.
