St Peter & St Paul or St Peter alone on June 29?

In the modern Calendar of the Roman Catholic Church and of most Anglican provinces, on June 29 is the festival to celebrate “Saint Peter & Saint Paul”. In the Calendar found within The Book of Common Prayer (1662) June 29th is the festival called “Saint Peter’s Day” and Saint Paul is duly celebrated on another date – The Conversion of Saint Paul, January 25.

The reformers in the Church of England of the mid-sixteenth century were fully aware of the long tradition of celebrating the apostles Peter and Paul together on June 29. They were also well aware, being careful students of Holy Scripture, that the Acts of the Apostles presents first the apostolic ministry of Peter and then that of Paul. Further, they knew the ancient tradition that the two suffered martyrdom under the rule of the Emperor Nero in Rome, the one by the cross and the other by the sword.

Also they were aware of the Collects for June 29 naming both Peter and Paul in the Sarum Missal and the earlier Sacramentaries:

O God, who hast consecrated this day by the martyrdom of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul: Grant unto thy Church, which is spread throughout the world, that, as her religion took its rise from them, so by their governance she may ever be guided. Through Jesus Christ. (Leonine Sacramentary)

O God, whose right hand did lift up the Apostle Peter when walking on the waves, lest he should sink therein; and who didst deliver from the depths of the sea his brother Apostle Paul, when thrice he suffered shipwreck; Mercifully grant that by the merits of both we may win the eternal favour of the [Blessed/Holy] Trinity. Through Jesus Christ. (Gelasian Sacramentary)

O God, who hast consecrated this day by the martyrdom of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul: Grant unto thy Church that, as her religion took its rise from them, so she may in all things follow the precepts which they gave. Through Jesus Christ. (Sarum Missal)

The English Reformers apparently came to the view that to commemorate two “heavyweights” and “chiefs” (the senior apostle to the Jews and the apostle to the Gentiles) on the same day was too much of a good thing and so they decided to restrict June 29th to Saint Peter. Thus there arose the tradition in the Church of England & Anglicanism of “Petertide” and of holding ordinations at this time.

The Collect which was written for the commemoration of the Apostle Peter is found in The Book of Common Prayer (1549, 1662):

O Almighty God, who by thy Son Jesus Christ didst give to thy Apostle St.Peter many excellent gifts, and commandest him earnestly to feed the flock; Make, we beseech thee, all Bishops and Pastors diligently to preach thy Holy Word, and all thy people obediently to follow the same, that they may receive the crown of everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Probably the “excellent gifts” are those to which the promise made by Jesus Christ to Peter points (see Matthew 16:18-19 – the right confession, the keys and the binding & loosing). The commission to feed the flock is found in John 21:15 –17 and the reference to preaching is from 1 Peter 5:2 & Acts 20:28. Finally, the crown of glory is from 1 Peter 5:4.

The Collects used in modern Anglican Liturgy for the double commemoration are loosely based upon the Leonine Sacramentary:

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 every 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 forever. (1979 Prayer Book of the ECUSA, drafted by Massey H. Shepherd, Jr. with an allusion to 1 Corinthians 3:11)

Almighty God, whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified you in their death as in their life: grant that your Church, inspired by your teaching and example, and made one by your Spirit, may ever stand firm upon the one foundation, Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. (2000 Common Worship of the C of E)

For anyone who is both deeply committed to The Book of Common Prayer, which includes its Calendar, and to ancient tradition, it is perhaps appropriate that he should use both the Collect for St Peter from the BCP and the Collect for St Peter & St Paul from the Leonine Sacramentary or the Sarum Missal (that from the Gelasian Sacramentary is hardly reformed Catholic!).

The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon M.A., D.Phil. (Oxon.),
Christ Church, Biddulph Moor & St Anne's, Brown Edge