Saint Peter

====Crucifixion at Rome====
[[File:Domine, quo vadis.jpg|thumb|upright|''[[Domine quo vadis?]]'' (1602) by [[Annibale Carracci]]]]

In the epilogue<ref>{{cite book |last=Harris |first=Stephen L. |author-link=Stephen L Harris |title=Understanding the Bible |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U-yAQQAACAAJ |edition=8th |location=New York |publisher=McGraw-Hill |year=2010 |page=381 |isbn=978-0-07-340744-9|quote=[John's] Gospel is commonly divided into a prologue (1:1–51); a Book of Signs&nbsp;... (2:1–11:57); the Book of Glory&nbsp;... (12:1–20:31); and an epilogue (21:1–25).}}</ref> of the Gospel of John, Jesus hints at the death by which Peter would glorify God, saying: "when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go."<ref>{{bibleref2|Jn.|21:18–19}}</ref> This is interpreted by some as a reference to Peter's crucifixion.<ref name="May Metzger" /> Unitarian theologian Donald Fay Robinson has suggested that the incident in Acts 12:1–17,<ref>{{bibleverse||Acts|12:1–17|NKJV}}</ref> where Peter is "released by an angel" and goes to "another place", really represents an idealised account of his death, which may have occurred in a Jerusalem prison as early as AD 44.<ref>Robinson, D. F., 'Where and When did Peter die?', ''[[Journal of Biblical Literature]]'' Vol. 64 (1945), supported by Smaltz, W. M., Did Peter die in Jerusalem?, ''[[Journal of Biblical Literature]]'' Vol. 71, No. 4 (Dec. 1952), pp. 211–216. Accessed 31 August 2015.</ref>

Early Church tradition says that Peter died by [[crucifixion]] (with arms outstretched) at the time of the [[Great Fire of Rome]] in the year 64. This probably took place three months after the disastrous fire that destroyed Rome for which the emperor (Nero) wished to blame the Christians. This "{{lang|la|dies imperii}}" (regnal day anniversary) was an important one, exactly ten years after Nero ascended to the throne, and it was "as usual" accompanied by much bloodshed. Traditionally, [[Roman Empire|Roman]] authorities sentenced him to death by [[crucifixion]] at [[Vatican Hill]].<ref name="newadvent"/> In accordance with the [[apocryphal]] [[Acts of Peter]], he was [[Cross of Saint Peter|crucified head down]].<ref>[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/actspeter.html Apocryphal ''Acts of Peter Chapter 37''] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20200108220758/http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/actspeter.html |date=8 January 2020 }}.</ref> Tradition also locates his burial place where the [[St. Peter's Basilica|Basilica of Saint Peter]] was later built, directly beneath the Basilica's high altar.

[[File:Crucifixion of Saint Peter-Caravaggio (c.1600).jpg|thumb|left|upright|''[[Crucifixion of Saint Peter (Caravaggio)|The Crucifixion of Saint Peter]]'' (1601) by [[Caravaggio]]]]

[[Pope Clement I]] (d. 99), in his ''Letter to the Corinthians'' (Chapter 5), written c. 80–98, speaks of Peter's martyrdom in the following terms: "Let us take the noble examples of our own generation. Through jealousy and envy the greatest and most just pillars of the Church were persecuted, and came even unto death. …Peter, through unjust envy, endured not one or two but many labours, and at last, having delivered his testimony, departed unto the place of glory due to him."<ref>{{cite web|author=Clement of Rome|title=The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians|url=http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/1clement-hoole.html|publisher=earlychristianwritings.com|access-date=1 June 2015}}</ref>

The apocryphal Acts of Peter (2nd cent.) ([[Vercelli manuscript|Vercelli]] Acts XXXV)<ref>[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/actspeter.html The Acts of Peter] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20200108220758/http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/actspeter.html |date=8 January 2020 }}, by M. R. James</ref> is the source for the tradition about the famous Latin phrase "[[Quo vadis?|Quo vadis, Domine?]]" (in Greek: {{Lang|grc|Κύριε, ποῦ ὑπάγεις "Kyrie, pou hypageis?"}}), which means "Where are you going, Lord?". According to the story, Peter, fleeing Rome to avoid execution meets the risen Jesus. In the Latin translation, Peter asks Jesus, "Quo vadis?" He replies, "''Romam eo iterum crucifigi"'' ("I am going to Rome to be crucified again"). Peter then gains the courage to continue his ministry and returns to the city, where he is martyred. This story is commemorated in an [[Annibale Carracci]] painting. The [[Quo Vadis (church)|Church of Quo Vadis]], near the [[Catacombs]] of [[Pope Callistus I|Saint Callistus]], contains a stone in which Jesus' footprints from this event are supposedly preserved, though this was apparently an ''[[ex-voto]]'' from a [[pilgrim]], and indeed a copy of the original housed in the [[San Sebastiano fuori le mura|Basilica of St Sebastian]].

The death of Peter is attested to by [[Tertullian]] (c. 155 – c. 240) at the end of the 2nd century in his ''Prescription Against Heretics'', noting that Peter endured a passion like his Lord's: "How happy is that church . . . where Peter endured a passion like that of the Lord, where Paul was crowned in a death like John's".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Quintus Septimius Florens|first1=Tertullian|title=Prescription Against Heretics Chapter XXXVI|url=http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf03.v.iii.xxxvi.html|publisher=ccel.org|access-date=1 June 2015|quote=Since, moreover, you are close upon Italy, you have '''Rome''', from which there comes even into our own hands the very authority (of apostles themselves). How happy is its church, on which apostles poured forth all their doctrine along with their blood; '''where Peter endures a passion like his Lord's'''; where Paul wins his crown in a death like John's [the Baptist]; where the Apostle John was first plunged, unhurt, into boiling oil, and thence remitted to his island-exile.}}</ref> The statement implies that Peter was killed like Jesus (by crucifixion) and Paul was killed like John (by beheading). It gives the impression that Peter also died in Rome since Paul also died there.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Was Peter in Rome? |url=https://www.catholic.com/tract/was-peter-in-rome |access-date=14 January 2023 |website=Catholic Answers}}</ref> In his work ''Scorpiace 15'', he also speaks of Peter's crucifixion: "The budding faith Nero first made bloody in Rome. There Peter was girded by another, since he was bound to the cross."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Quintus Septimius Florens|first1=Tertullian|title=Scorpiace Chapter 15|url=http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0318.htm|publisher=newadvent.org|access-date=6 June 2015}}</ref>

[[Origen]] (184–253) in his ''Commentary on the Book of Genesis III'', quoted by Eusebius of Caesaria in his ''Ecclesiastical History (III, 1)'', said: "Peter was crucified at Rome with his head downwards, as he himself had desired to suffer."<ref>{{cite book |last1=of Caesarea |first1=Eusebius |title=Church History, Book III Chapter 1 (Eusebius) |publisher=newadvent.org |url=https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250103.htm |access-date=9 May 2022}}</ref> The [[Cross of St. Peter]] inverts the [[Crux immissa|Latin cross]] based on this refusal, and on his claim of being unworthy to die the same way as his Saviour.<ref>Granger Ryan & Helmut Ripperger, ''The Golden Legend Of Jacobus De Voragine Part One'', 1941.</ref>

[[Pope Peter I of Alexandria|Peter of Alexandria]] (d. 311), who was bishop of [[Alexandria]] and died around AD 311, wrote an epistle ''on Penance'', in which he says: "Peter, the first of the apostles, having been often apprehended and thrown into prison, and treated with ignominy, was last of all crucified at Rome."<ref>{{cite web|last1=of Alexandria|first1=Peter|title=Canonical Epistle on Penitence Canon 9|url=http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0620.htm|publisher=newadvent.org|access-date=3 June 2015}}</ref>

[[Jerome]] (327–420) wrote that "at Nero's hands Peter received the crown of martyrdom being nailed to the cross with his head towards the ground and his feet raised on high, asserting that he was unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as his Lord."<ref name="Jerome1" />