Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, June 29, 2023
Today is the shared feast day of Peter and Paul, apostles, martyrs, and saints. It's fair to say that both of them are foundational to the early Jesus movement, the Church, and that without either of them we might not be Christians.
Given their respective importance and prominence, why do they share a feast day? Isn't each of them significant enough to have their own day of commemoration all to themselves?
If feast days were assigned by importance, prominence, and significance, then, yes, each of them should have their own day. The thing is, feast days commemorate the day of a person's death insofar as it is known. And Peter and Paul, tradition says, were both martyred on June 29 about four years apart. A common estimate is that Peter was executed by the Roman Empire in the year 64 CE and Paul in the year 68 CE. This apostolic odd couple disagreed with one another more than once, but they were of one heart and mind in their desire to further the health and reach of the Church.
The Book of Common Prayer (BCP, 16) allows us to transfer the feast of our parish's patron, our patronal feast or feast of title, to the Sunday nearest the feast day. We are doing so this year as we did last year, with one important difference. This year, on this coming Sunday, July 2, we will celebrate the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul together with neighboring St Peter's.
Worshipping together on our shared patronal feast day is a powerful way to express, celebrate, and further the renewed connections between our congregations. Breaking bread together and enjoying all the things folks are bringing to the potluck brunch after the 10am Eucharist at St Paul's is another way to do those things as well. In addition, both worshipping and eating together are ways to honor the promises of our baptismal covenant--"continuing in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers" (BCP, 304).
Please plan to join us in person or virtually for this combined Eucharist at 10am at St Paul's. (There will be no 7:30am service at St Paul's and no service at all at St Peter's.) If it is fair weather--no matter how hot and steamy--we will process from St Peter's to St Paul's beginning at 10am. (If it is raining, we will dispense with the procession.) If you are able, please meet at St Peter's at 9:45am to take part in the procession. You may walk or ride as you prefer or need. If you aren't taking part in the procession, Tim will be playing Handel's "Firework Music" as a lengthy prelude beginning promptly at 10am. When the procession arrives at St Paul's, we'll segue to the opening hymn. Whether you'll process or not, you can deliver your contribution to the post-service potluck feast in the St Paul's parish hall before 10am.
Here is the collect for the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul; it will be our collect of the day on Sunday as well:
"Almighty God, whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified you by their martyrdom: Grant that your Church, instructed by their teaching and example, and knit together in unity by your Spirit, may ever stand firm upon the one foundation, which is Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever." Amen.
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