Apostles Window: St. Peter

St. Peter:  "The word of the Lord 
endureth forever" (I Peter 1:25).

The third window from the left presents St. Peter, holder of the keys to heaven.  The key is depicted in the center of the panel, quite large and topped with a cross, which reminds us that salvation (and heaven) comes to us through Christ's sacrifice on the cross.

The keys of heaven are granted to Peter because of his recognition (confession) that Jesus is "the Christ, the son of the Living God."  Jesus says of him, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of heaven..." (Matt 16:16-19).

Peter is among the first of the disciples called by Jesus, and he figures prominently in both the gospels and the first part of Acts as leader of the the apostles and the new Christian faith.  Peter disappears from the biblical account after Acts 15, except for several comments in I Corinthians that suggest he travelled to and taught in Corinth, possibly with a wife (see I Cor 9:15).  

Tradition places him in Rome during Nero's rule, claiming he was crucified, head downward, in about 64 AD.  In 1950 bones of a 60 year old male from the first century were found beneath the altar in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, which Pope Paul VI identified as St. Peter's in 1968.

Although not all scholars agree, St. Peter is traditionally viewed as the author of two epistles bearing his name.

St. Peter has two feast days in the Church calendar:  

(1) The Confession of St. Peter, on January 18  

(2) The Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles, on June 29

Prayer (from the Lutheran Book of Worship):

Almighty God, you inspired Simon Peter to confess Jesus as the Messiah and Son of the living God.  Keep your Church firm on the rock of this faith, that in unity and peace it may proclaim one truth and follow one Lord, your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.