Vatican Holds Feast of Saints Peter and Paul Mass with Ecumenical Patriarchate Delegation

On June 29, the Vatican marked the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul with a solemn Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. Pope Leo XIV spoke of Peter’s example as a call for Christian unity and urged believers to seek common ground. An official delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate attended, led by Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon and including Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios and Patriarchal Deacon Anatolios Doxastakis. Greece’s ambassador to the Holy See, Despoina Poulou, and Cyprus’s ambassador, George Poulides, were also present, and the Patriarchate delegation is slated for a private audience with the Pope.

The celebration commemorates the martyrdom of the apostles Peter and Paul under Emperor Nero, traditionally observed on the anniversary of their deaths. Historically, separate liturgies were held at their tombs in Rome; today the rites are combined, with a particular focus on Peter during the June‑29 service and Paul on the following day. The feast underscores the apostles’ foundational role in the early Church and their lasting significance for Christian worship worldwide.