SS Peter and Paul, Apostles

This feast day, June 29th, used to be so great that it was accorded the kind of solemnity given to Christmas: three masses were held on one day. These two great apostles are rumored to have been martyred on the same day, in the same city of Rome, and their graves have been together ever since (including the occasion of their removal to a safekeeping place in time of persecution). So it is fitting that here at St. Paul's we observe the day in place of our midweek worship, though we were a couple days early.  In fact we even began our observance Tuesday night with Vespers and a homily about  the day.  Then on Wednesday at Mass, the sermon gave a more  thorough explanation of the importance of their martyrdom.