The feast of Peter and Paul in the Orthodox Church is celebrated on July 29 (July 12 according to the old calendar). On this day, the post ends, called Petrov. To answer the question of what the icon of Saints Peter and Paul means, we will plunge a little into the history of the New Testament. The holiday, dedicated to the two great saints Peter and Paul, has been known since early Christianity, it was celebrated in the Roman Empire. According to legend, the disciples of Christ Peter and Paul received a martyrdom on the same day, namely July 29.
The Apostle Peter was crucified with his head down, and the Apostle Paul, as a Roman subject, was cut off his head, but, according to the tradition of the Holy Fathers, this happened a year after the death of Peter.
The image of the supreme saints Peter and Paul is an ancient icon, and before it they pray on a holiday that is associated with another important event in the life of the Church - the transfer of the relics of these two revered saints, which took place in Rome in 258 and also on June 29, on the day, which began to be considered the day of their common martyrdom.
Religious holiday
And now we come to the very essence of the feast of Peter and Paul. The icon depicting these saints in Russia was called "Korsunskaya", but more on that later.
In the meantime, in about 324, the first temples were created in honor of the supreme supreme holy apostles in the capitals of the Roman Empire in the cities of Rome and Constantinople under the emperor Constantine.
It was from this time that the feast of Peter and Paul began to be celebrated, and it was especially revered, the liturgies were held very solemnly. This day was elevated completely by accident, it is associated with the fact that after three hundred years of persecution of Christians, faith in Christ finally received the status of a legal religion. Christianity was faced with the task of converting people to faith and bringing them to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ. The ministry of the apostles became a model for the sermon of teachers and holy fathers of the church. The holiday is preceded by a fast called Petrov, and this once again proves its importance in the annual liturgical circle.
Peter and Paul Icon
The icon of Peter and Paul dates from the 11th century and is considered one of the most ancient. This is a real relic and a work of art created by medieval easel painting. Today, the image of Saints Peter and Paul - an icon of the first-called apostles - is stored in the reserve of Novgorod. Once the Russian Tsar Vladimir Monomakh brought the icon to Novgorod from Korsun, so it was called "Korsunskaya". But some historians claim that it was written in Novgorod. Who became the creator of this holy relic is unknown to this day, but the style of its image corresponds to the fresco technique. The icon is decorated with a silver and gilded salary, over which various craftsmen worked. An interesting fact is that the icon of Peter and Paul was taken from Novgorod three times, and each time she returned.
Icon of the Apostles Peter and Paul. Value
One of the first monasteries named after the holy apostles of the supreme saints Peter and Paul in Novgorod was built in 1185 on Sinichaya Hill. In Orthodox churches, the image of these two apostles became an indispensable accessory of the deesis rite.
The Russian holy icon painter Andrei Rublev was also the creator of the icon of Peter and Paul. Particularly noting the honor of the memory of the supreme apostles, the Church glorifies the spiritual firmness of the apostle Peter and the mind of Paul. They are prayed for the healing of diseases and the growth of faith. Apostle Peter is prayed for a rich catch. No wonder the day of their memory is also considered the day of the fisherman.
The story of Peter and Paul
Peter was the brother of St. Andrew the First-Called. At first his name was Simon, and he was a fisherman. The poor but pious youth has become one of the main pillars of the Christian faith. He immediately went after the Lord, since a great fate awaited him.
The apostle Paul was formerly called Saul, and his race came from the tribe of Benjamin. He was from a noble family and was a Roman citizen. At first he was an ardent persecutor of Christians, and then he became a faithful disciple of Christ.
The apostle Peter became the chosen apostle of God and His greatest confessor, he began to nourish the souls of believing Christians with his sermons, and with it the beginning of Orthodoxy was laid. On the feast of Peter and Paul, they glorify people who were ordinary sinners, but turned into saints.
The image of the icon of Peter and Paul suggests that if we cannot have a strong faith like that of the apostle Peter and Paul and do miracles thanks to which they convert people to their faith, then we will try to learn at least the deepest humility and unprincipled repentance.