Acts 12:1-11; Psalm 33(34):2-9; 2 Timothy 4:6-8,17-18; Matthew 16:13-19
Sts Peter and Paul are as it were to co-founders of the Church of Christ, and are celebrated together every year as a solemnity - and a holy day of Obligation. At St Gregory the Great we have a vigil Mass on Tuesday evening, and Mass with the Parish Primary school at 09:30 on the feast day itself.
St Peter and St Paul were not martyred together, but from very early in church history (some evidence suggesting back to about the year 250 AD) they have been commemorated together in late June (now fixed on 29th June). Paul is noted for his letters (today's to Timothy) and Peter for his recognising Jesus as the Son, The Messiah of the living God. Jesus renamed Peter, a name meaning Rock, from Simon which means 'one who listens', and said he would build his church on Peter. By conferring a name upon someone, we take them on as our responsibility - we do this when we give our children names, and our children learn to do this when they name pets. From that point on the named one becomes special. Paul is from a Roman name, and meaning a little one, or a humble person.