Apostles Peter and Paul. The surviving fragment of the fresco of the Vatoped monastery. End of the 12th century. Athos, Greece

The primary duality is united by one thing: Peter and Paul actually knew what sin is and what repentance is, and they knew that the love of Christ conquers.

Peter the fisherman

But humanly, Peter and Paul were very different. Glorifying them on the same day, the Church seems to want to remind us of the diversity of human characters and paths leading to God. Both apostles are called supreme, but their primacy is not at all the same.

Peter was one of the closest disciples of Christ during His earthly life. Paul had nothing to do with gospel events at all. He began preaching much later, and was not even "officially approved" as one of the twelve apostles. And yet we can compare these two destinies in the most general terms.

Apostle Peter. Fresco, 16th century. Russia

Simon, later called Peter, like his brother Andrew, was a simple Galilean fisherman. Galilee was the farthest region of Palestine from Jerusalem, and many pagans lived there.

The inhabitants of the capital treated the Galileans with condescension, as if they were provincials. They even spoke with a noticeable accent, by which Peter was once identified in the courtyard of the high priest. A fisherman - the most simple and unassuming profession. They fished on Lake Galilee mainly at night, so the fisherman did not always have time to sleep, he smelled of a fishy smell, his income was too unpredictable, it all depended on luck.

Apostle Peter. Encaustic icon. Sinai, 6th century

In general, the life of the Galilean fishermen was not very enviable, and perhaps that is why Simon and Andrew, barely hearing the invitation of the wandering Preacher: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men,” immediately obeyed Him, even threw the nets that after each catch it was supposed to be cleaned and repaired. And so they became the first called apostles.

Paul the scribe

The apostle Paul writes a letter to the Corinthians. Medieval book miniature. Russia

Paul, or more precisely, Saul (as he was called before his conversion to Christ), on the contrary, was from the then elite. He was born in the Hellenistic city of Tarsus, the capital of the province of Cilicia, was from the tribe of Benjamin, like King Saul, after whom he was named.

IN AND. Surikov. The Apostle Paul explains the dogmas of faith in the presence of King Agrippa, his sister Berenice and Proconsul Festus. 1875

At the same time, he was a Roman citizen by birth - a rare privilege for provincials, which gave him many special rights (for example, to demand a trial personally from the emperor, which he later used to get to Rome at public expense). Paulus, that is, "small", is a Roman name - he probably had it from the very beginning, but only after converting to Christianity did he begin to use it instead of the former name Saul.

Head of the Apostle Paul. Detail of the fresco "The Last Judgment". Vladimir, 16th century

He received his education in Jerusalem, from the most authoritative theologian of that time, Gamaliel. Saul belonged to the number of Pharisees - zealots of the Law, striving to fulfill exactly all its requirements and all the "traditions of the elders." Although Christ denounced the Pharisees (for snobbery and literalism), we know several examples when it was the Pharisees who became His devoted disciples, so Saul-Paul was not alone in this.

ardent souls

Apostles Peter and Paul. Icon, 17th century

But the characters of Simon and Saul had much in common. Learning from Gamaliel, Paul did more than just immerse himself in the interpretation of the Mosaic Law. No, he had to apply and even enforce this Law in practice - and the most suitable area of ​​\u200b\u200bapplication seemed to him to be the fight against the recently emerged “heresy”, whose supporters talked about a certain resurrected Jesus and that faith in Him is much more important than the deeds of the Law! Saul could not bear such a thing.

When the deacon Stephen was stoned for such a sermon, he only guarded the clothes of the slayers, but soon the zealous young man set out on his own to punish the infidels in Damascus. It is on this path that a meeting will occur that will forever change his life.

The Apostle Peter cuts off the ear of the servant of the high priest Malchus

And Simon, who was a disciple of Christ from the very beginning? He is just as fiery and impatient. Here Christ orders him, still a fisherman, and not an apostle, to cast the nets again after unsuccessful night fishing - and he obeys, and when the net brings an extraordinary catch, he says to the Teacher: “Get out of me, Lord! because I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). So keenly did he feel his unworthiness and his uncleanness... But later, when he saw the Savior walking on water, he, on the contrary, immediately asks: "... Command me to come to You on the water" (Matt. 14:28).

Lorenzo Veneziano, The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew. 16th century

Yes, then he doubted and began to sink, but the rest of the apostles did not even dare to try! When a miracle happens next to Simon, he must immediately respond to it, everything is happening for him here and now. And it is no coincidence that it is he who, without hesitation, pronounces his confession, long before the Resurrection of Christ: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matt. 16: 16).

But even John the Baptist sent his disciples to Christ with the question whether He really was… Peter has no doubts, and in response to these words Christ calls him the stone on which He will build His Church. The Aramaic and Greek words for rock, Cephas and Peter, respectively, become Simon's new names.

Meeting of the Apostles in Mamertine Prison in Rome. Electrotype. St. Paul's Basilica, Rome

In the life of each of them there was a turning point that made them what they became. The Risen Christ appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus and asked him: “Saul, Saul! why are you persecuting me?" (Acts 9:4). From that moment on, everything changed in his life - more precisely, this life was no longer his own, it was devoted to the preaching of the One whom he had previously persecuted.

And for Peter, on the contrary, renunciation became such a moment. On the eve of the crucifixion, he promised Christ that even under pain of death he would not leave Him, but Christ answered: “... On this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times” (Matthew 26:34). Maybe if the executioners had immediately set about him, he would have courageously gone to the execution, but there was a long night ahead, full of fears and uncertainty ... And Peter somehow imperceptibly renounced Christ, in everyday life, without noticing the cock's crow.

By his own example, the first of the apostles saw how easy it is to become the last.

N.P. Komarov, "The Apostle Peter"

And only after Peter's repentant tears were heard the words of the Savior addressed to him: "...Feed my sheep" (John 21:17). But first, He asked him a very simple question: “Do you love Me?” He asked it three times, so that Peter was even upset, but after a night with a rooster, it was not superfluous: the one who denied three times confessed his love three times.

And that this love would have to be paid for with calmness and comfort, both of them, both Peter and Paul, knew perfectly well. Immediately after Peter's confession of his love, Jesus prophesies about his death: "You will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and lead you where you do not want" (John 21:18) Peter, who saw the crucifixion of the Teacher, and how not to understand Paul, who himself had previously tortured Christians! Both were executed in Rome in the 1960s, even before the last book of the New Testament had been completed.

An angel consoles the Apostle Peter in prison. Fresco, 18th century. Balkans

The book of Acts tells about their sermon. From the very beginning, the gospel was addressed primarily to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” and it took Peter a miraculous vision to make sure that God calls the Gentiles to faith in the same way as the Jews. Nevertheless, he mainly preached to his fellow believers, and it was perhaps difficult for a simple Galilean fisherman to address a foreign-speaking and heterodox audience. On the other hand, it worked well for the educated Paul, who said: “... I was entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, as Peter was for the circumcised” (Gal. 2: 7).

In general, there are quite a few differences between them. For example, Peter was married before meeting Christ, and Paul decided to always remain single so that family affairs would not interfere with his main calling. However, Paul himself said about Peter that his wife was his companion (see 1 Cor. 9:5), which means that family life should not necessarily be a hindrance to missionary work.

It is possible to compare the two apostles, who were later called the supreme leaders, for a long time and in detail, noting the general and the special in the life of each of them. But it is best to give the floor to them themselves, so that they tell us what it is like to be the first among the apostles.

The execution of the Apostle Peter. Electrotype. St. Paul's Basilica, Rome

Peter: “I implore your shepherds, co-pastor and witness of the sufferings of Christ and partner in the glory that must be revealed: Shepherd God’s flock, which is yours, overseeing it not under compulsion, but willingly and pleasing to God, not for vile self-interest, but out of zeal, And not having dominion over the inheritance of God, but setting an example for the flock; And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive an unfading crown of glory” (1 Pet. 5:1-4).

Paul: “... I, circumcised on the eighth day, from the tribe of Israel, the tribe of Benjamin, a Jew from the Jews, according to the teachings of the Pharisee, By jealousy I am a persecutor of the Church of God, by righteousness of the law I am blameless. But what was an advantage to me, I considered loss for Christ's sake. Yes, and I count everything as a loss for the sake of the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord: for Him I gave up everything, and I count everything as rubbish in order to gain Christ ... I say this not because I have already reached, or perfected; but I strive lest I achieve as Christ Jesus reached me” (Philippians 3:5-8, 12)

Apostles Peter and Paul. Mosaic. Trieste, 12th century

Church of Peter and Paul in Kozhevniki. 15th century

Apostles Peter and Paul. Icon, 18th century

Apostles Peter and Paul. Painting of the deacon's door. Romania, 19th century

Christ with the upcoming apostles. Peter and Paul. Detail of the mosaic dome. St. Paul's Basilica, Rome

St. Paul's Basilica, Rome

Apostle Paul with a sword. St. Paul's Basilica, Rome

Michelangelo. Conversion of Paul. 1546 - 1550

El Greco. Apostles Peter and Paul. 1592

Rembrandt. Apostle Paul in prison. 1627

Rembrandt. Conversation of the Apostles Peter and Paul. 1628

Raphael. A miraculous exposition of the Apostle Peter from prison. 1511-1514 years

Mosaic of the church of the monastery in Chora (Kahriye-jami) in Constantinople. Early 14th century. Istanbul, Turkey

Apostles Peter and Paul. Relief on stone. 4th - 5th centuries. National Archaeological Museum of Aquileia, Italy

Christ crowns the apostles Peter and Paul. The bottom of the memorial vessel. Rome, 4th century. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Petro-Pavlovsky Cathedral. Kazan

Petro-Pavlovsky Cathedral. Gomel

Petro-Pavlovsky Cathedral. Sevastopol

Petro-Pavlovsky Cathedral. Saint Petersburg

Petro-Pavlovsky Cathedral. Peterhof

Illustrations: Alexander IVANOV

For two centuries in a row there has been an ongoing discussion in the world between believers and atheists, atheists and believers, in which there are no winners or losers. In this discussion, everyone is right in their own way, and the truth is with God.

With great caution, we decided to touch on this delicate topic, realizing that thousands of curious and anxious eyes would be fixed on us, demanding an answer: where is the truth, where is the truth, who to believe, theosophy or the Bible? People ask why E.P. Has Blavatsky left us such an intricate tangle of religious contradictions? Why didn’t she unwind it, didn’t bring it to the end, but only threw it to us for struggle and discussion. In order not to tease some and offend others, and not to blame everything on Blavatsky, we decided to approach this issue from the position of the majority of people for whom the Gospel story is Holy history, and Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God. That is why we will consider the problem of Christian history not only from the point of view of Theosophy, in which sober science prevails, but also from the point of view of the Christian faith and the Bible.

Everyone is interested to know whether the apostles Peter and Paul were friendly during their lifetime, did they understand each other, as they are depicted on icons, or were they at enmity, as skeptics and atheists claim? We see that the two apostles are living people, with their own weaknesses and strengths. Peter and Paul are personalities not invented by either Christianity or Theosophy. They are the saints of the gospel story. Peter is a disciple of Christ, the chief apostle, who shared with Jesus all his sorrows. Paul is a faithful follower of Christ, his main ideologist and promoter of the Christian faith. Thanks to his talent, intelligence, obsession, sermons and Epistles, Christianity became such a force that neither the Gnostics, nor the Pharisees, scribes, and atheists were able to break it. Although cavalry attacks on the faith of Christ continue to this day. It is not so easy to establish the Truth, who is right and who is wrong. Probably the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Perhaps it is not only in the Bible and the Apocrypha, but also in other books, so securely hidden from prying eyes by ancient people.

Apostle Peter, son of the fisherman Jonna of Bethsaida of Galilee

The word Apostles means - messengers, (Greek m'apost'oloi). In the New Testament, these are the disciples of Jesus Christ, sent by Him to preach. Many exegetes believe that the prototype of the Christian apostolate was the Old Testament institution of "messengers", in Aramaic - shelukhin. Shelukhins were called special representatives of the Jewish spiritual castes. They were sent two by two to remote areas to help young churches. They had to report on the decisions of the Council, on the timing of the holidays, on the distribution of donations, in a word - to communicate between the center and the churches of the countries of dispersion. Jesus sends His apostles on separate assignments, so that they prepare the ground for His preaching where He is going to go. But gradually the Sheluins (Apostles) themselves become evangelists, helpers of Jesus in word and deed. In his name they proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God, heal the sick, preach the gospel, announce the coming of new times. Their ministry is a sacrament, for Christ Himself will act through them: "As the Father sent me, and I send you ...". [A. Men. Apostles].

The number twelve was taken by Christ not by chance. According to biblical tradition, the Church of the Old Testament descended from twelve patriarchs and, accordingly, was divided into the same number of tribes. Moses appointed twelve elders over them. The sacred number 12, reminded of the cosmic signs of the zodiac, symbolized the fullness of the people of God. Therefore, the contemporaries of Christ, members of the Essenes order, who proclaimed themselves "true Israel", placed twelve men at the head of their union. This means that the election of the apostles by Jesus indicated that in the bowels of the old, Old Testament Church, Christ laid the foundation of the new, messianic Church.

In the Bible, the apostles Peter and Paul are called the chief. Apparently, they did the most work in spreading the Christian faith and creating new churches. The New Testament book "The Acts of the Holy Apostles" tells about the life of the disciples of Jesus, their labors, deeds and death. Their life, before the apostolic service, was aimless, without faith, without joy, and understanding that only after they were united by Christ, it would be filled with great spiritual meaning.

The Apostle Peter, before his service to Christ, was called Simon. He was the son of the fisherman Jonah from Bethsaida of Galilee, the brother of the Apostle Andrew, who led him to Jesus. Peter was married and not a poor man, he had his own house in Capernaum. Called by Christ while fishing on the Lake of Gennesaret, he always emphasized his devotion to Christ and his faith, for which Jesus brought him closer to Himself along with the apostles James and John. Although Simon was impatient, quick to act, not always resolute and courageous, nevertheless he was the first to call his Teacher - Christ, the Messiah, for which he was awarded the title of Peter from Jesus, which means - Stone.

By nature, Peter was lively and quick-tempered. It was he who wished to walk on water in order to come to Jesus; it was he who cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest in the Garden of Gethsemane. On the night after Jesus' arrest, Peter, as Jesus had predicted, showed weakness and, fearing to incur persecution, denied Christ three times before the rooster crowed. Later, Christ took pity on him, forgave him his weakness, and after the Resurrection, restored him to his former, apostolic rank. Three times, according to the number of denials, Jesus gave him charge of his sheep, and asked him three times: does he love him? To which the frightened apostle firmly replied that yes, he loves. A legend has been preserved: the apostle Peter every morning, when the rooster crowed, recalled his unseemly act - the renunciation of Christ, and at the same time wept bitterly. Together with James and John, Peter was present on Mount Tabor during the Transfiguration.

Becoming a disciple of Christ, he accompanied Him in all the ways of His earthly life. Peter was one of Jesus' favorite disciples. When Christ asked his disciples what they thought of Him, Peter was the first to say that He is “the Christ, the Son of the living God. In response, Jesus said: “I say to you: you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it; And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” [Matthew 16:18-19].

After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Peter the first contributed to the spread and establishment of the Church of Christ. On the day of Pentecost, he delivered a speech to the people, converting more than 3,000 souls to the Christian faith. When Peter and John met a beggar cripple at the gates of the Temple, he asked them for alms. Simon said, “I have no silver and no gold. And what I have, I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk! And, taking him by the right hand, raised him; and suddenly his feet and knees became stronger, and jumping up, he got up and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and jumping, and praising God .. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. [Acts. 3:6-9].

After the persecution of Christians, in the year 42, Herod Agrippa the First, the grandson of Herod the Great, killed the Apostle James Zevedeev and imprisoned the Apostle Peter in prison. Knowing about the execution of the Apostle Peter, the faithful prayed fervently for him. And at night a miracle happened. An angel of God appeared to Peter in the cell, freed him from the shackles, and Peter freely left the prison.

Church traditions report that Peter preached the Gospel along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea: in Antioch, Asia Minor, Egypt, where he appointed Mark as bishop of the Alexandrian church. Then he visited Greece (Achaia), preached in Corinth, Rome, Spain, Carthage and Britain. Mark was a faithful disciple of the Apostle Peter. According to legend, Mark, under the dictation of Peter and from his memoirs, wrote his gospel for the Roman Christians. Two Conciliar (district) Epistles of the Apostle Peter have been preserved. The first is addressed to the newcomers scattered in Pontus, Gallatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bethany - the provinces of Asia Minor. The purpose of the epistles was to strengthen their brothers in the faith of Christ during the time of persecution and not to succumb to various false teachers.

According to Simeon Metaphrastus, the apostle Peter, preaching in Ancyra of Galatia, resurrected the deceased. In the description of the historian Egesippus, as well as in the letter of Marcellus the Roman, it is said that the apostle Peter resurrected a young man of the royal family in Rome. The young man's mother invited the Apostle Peter and Simon Magus to the burial of her son, known among the people for resurrecting the dead and preaching the Word of God. To prove that Peter was acting on behalf of the Word of God and Jesus Christ, he resurrected the young man in front of the whole people, thereby shaming Simon Magus, the founder of the Gnostic sect and his dubious deeds.

Towards the end of his life, the apostle Peter again arrived in Rome to help his brother Paul, imprisoned by Nero. But it all ended tragically: on the instructions of Nero, both apostles were executed as conspirators and troublemakers. Peter was crucified on the cross with his head down, and the apostle Paul was beheaded. This happened in 67. At this place, to this day, there is the Mamertian dungeon, which is considered one of the oldest monuments in the city. According to legend, it was in it that the apostles Peter and Paul were imprisoned. From there they were led to execution. The pillar on which the Apostle Peter was crucified head down has been preserved. By his martyrdom he confirmed his apostolic fidelity to Christ. Peter's wife, who accompanied him on all his travels, shared the fate of her husband. Nero's servants killed her and buried her not far from Peter.

A legend has been preserved: shortly before his death, at the request of the believers, Peter left the city, and Jesus appeared to him in a vision entering Rome. "God, where are you going?" asked the apostle. “I am going to Rome to be crucified again,” Christ answered. Peter realized that his flight from execution was not pleasing to Jesus, therefore, he immediately returned to prison.

The Apostle Peter left us two Catholic Epistles to believing Jews scattered outside of Palestine.

The First Epistle of Peter the Great consists of 5 chapters, it was written in Babylon, in the year 65, about the abuses that arose in the doctrine of faith, which justifies unseemly deeds. In it, the apostle convinces Christians, despite persecution, to rejoice in their faith, and to be firm in it, despite the slander of the pagans. In imitation of Christ, lead your life humbly and honestly, submit to earthly authorities and not cover up your vices with the Christian faith. Peter wrote the rules of Christian conduct for servants, wives, husbands, all members of the Church, including pastors.

The Second Catholic Epistle of Peter consists of three chapters and was written shortly before his death in Rome. This is, in essence, his testament to his friends - believers. In it, in the voice of a martyr, the apostle implores them to be firm and steadfast in their faith, to beware of false teachers, not to believe their sermons and unfulfilled promises, for they are empty. The last day of the world has not yet come, Peter wrote, so we must pray to God, do His will and live righteously. The Lord endures our sins for a long time, calls for repentance, and whoever obeys Him will live a long time, whoever breaks His commandments will face the torments of hell. In another place, Peter says: “The Lord is not slow in fulfilling his promise, as some count slowness; but long suffers us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. The day of the Lord will come, like a thief in the night, and then the heavens will pass away with a noise, the elements, having flared up, will be resolved, the earth, and all the works on it will burn. .

Apostle Paul of Tarsus of Cilicia

The Apostle Paul, with the Hebrew name Saul, belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. Born in the Cilician city of Tarsus, in Asia Minor. At that time, Tarsus was famous for the Greek academy, temples and education of its inhabitants. Paul, as a native of this city, who came out of slavery under the Romans, had the rights of a Roman citizen. In Tarsus, he received his first education, later he studied in Jerusalem, at the rabbinical academy, with the famous connoisseur and interpreter of the Bible - the Pharisee Gamaliel, a lover of Greek wisdom. There he learned the art of making tents. Such a profession gave him the opportunity to earn a living. Saul was a literate Roman citizen: he knew philosophy, theology, Greek and Roman culture.

Saul was preparing for the position of rabbi. After graduation, he showed himself to be an ardent zealot of the Pharisees' traditions - he became a persecutor of Christians and the faith of Jesus. Fulfilling the instructions of the chief priests, Saul witnessed the death of the first martyr Stephen. He was given the power in writing to persecute Christians wherever they were, to uproot their faith, and not obedient men and women, having tied them up, brought them to Jerusalem for punishment.

On the road to Damascus, a miracle happened to Saul. From the bright light that blinded him, he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him: “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me?" Saul asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The voice answered, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It's hard for you to go against the pricks." Saul's companions heard the voice of Christ, but did not see the light. The Lord told Saul, "Get up and go into the city, they will tell you what to do." “The people who were walking with him stood in a daze, hearing the voice, but not seeing anyone” (7). (Acts 9:3-8). Saul got up blind and led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. In Damascus, at the moment of immersion in water, the blinded Saul received his sight. There, he was taught the Christian faith, and the priest Ananias baptized him on the third day.

The Jews, who learned about the conversion of Saul to the faith of Christ, wanted to catch him in order to deal with the Gentile. This forced him to flee to Jerusalem, where he joined other believers and became acquainted with the apostles. Threatened with death, Saul went to his hometown of Tarsus. In 43 AD, Saul was called by Barnabas to preach in Antioch. Later they went to Jerusalem, where they brought help to needy Christians.

After returning from Jerusalem, at the command of the Holy Spirit, Paul and Barnabas set off on their First Apostolic Journey, which lasted from 45 to 51 years. Then there was the Second journey of the Apostle Paul, which lasted from 51 to 54 years. He again visited Asia Minor, visited Macedonia, where he founded communities in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea. In Lystra, Paul acquired a beloved disciple, Timothy. In Troas, the Evangelist Luke joined them. The third Apostolic journey lasted from 56 to 58 years. Paul again visited the churches of Asia Minor, then stopped in Ephesus, where he preached for two years.

In the year 59, in Jerusalem, the Roman authorities took Paul into custody. Proconsul Felix led the case, then he was replaced by proconsul Festus. After two years in custody, Paul, as a Roman citizen, was sent to Rome to be judged by Caesar. A shipwreck occurred near the island of Malta, and Paul miraculously survived. In the summer of 62, the apostle arrived in Rome. From Roman captivity, the Apostle Paul wrote several epistles: to the Philippians, Colossians, Gallatians, Ephesians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, a resident of Colossae. All epistles were written in 63 and sent with the faithful Tychicus.

The further fate of the Apostle Paul is not entirely clear. Some Christian historians believe that Paul remained in Rome and, by order of Nero, was martyred. Others admit that in 66 Paul went on the Fourth missionary journey, visited Spain. They refer to his "pastoral epistles" to Timothy and Titus. On the island of Crete, the apostle Saul left his disciple Titus, whom he ordained as a bishop of the Cretan Church. After returning to Rome, Paul again finds himself in prison. There he remains until his death. They imprisoned him for converting two of Nero's wives to Christianity. The Roman emperor could not forgive such a hated apostle. After a nine-month imprisonment, Paul, as a Roman citizen, was executed: his head was beheaded with a sword. This happened in 67.

There is no evidence in the Gospel books about the hostility of the apostles Peter and Paul, about their complex relationship, which Helena Blavatsky so often writes about. The Four Gospels, the Acts of the Holy Apostles, the Twenty-one Epistles and the Apocalypse report that the Apostles Peter and Paul were peaceful people, kind and humble. The apostles were close in spirit and faith, and treated each other like brothers. On Christian icons, Peter and Paul are always together, always near, they even accepted their death on the same day. In the writings of Elena Petrovna, Peter and Pavel are constant enemies, they always have enmity.

Apostle Peter through the eyes of Helena Blavatsky

Of course, there is no complete portrait of the Apostle Peter in the works of Blavatsky. She did not set such a goal for herself. She was interested not in the personality of the Roman apostle, not in his attitude to the papacy and Catholicism, but in his deeds, deeds, actions on certain issues of faith and Christian morality. We begin our acquaintance with the Apostle Peter from Blavatsky's confession that “the Apostle Peter had nothing to do with the founding of the Latin Church in Rome. He gave this Church only a small pretext, and the treacherous Irenaeus of Lyon eagerly seized on it, and immediately assigned the name of the Apostle Peter or Kiffa, as the Bible calls him, to the Roman Church. [Disassembled] Isis, vol. 2, p. 227]. Through a light play on words, says E.P. this name could be replaced with "Petroma". And Petroma, as is known, is “a pair of stone tablets used by the Hierophants during Initiations during the final Mystery. This is the whole secret of the Vatican's claims to the throne of Peter."

In Isis Unveiled, in chapter 1V - "Oriental Cosmogonies and Biblical Records", Blavatsky tries to prove that the Roman Church deliberately distorted the Holy Scriptures. From the cowardly Peter, she made a saint and founder of the Roman Church. Therefore, the claims of Catholics, led by the Popes of Rome, to call themselves heirs of the Apostle Peter and interpreters of the doctrines of Jesus, are not acceptable to Blavatsky. She does not recognize them, and calls the Popes of Rome - "imposters and blasphemers of the faith of Christ." At the same time, E.P. constantly emphasizes that she is on the side of the Eastern Church, or rather, the Russian Orthodox Church, with mother's milk entered into her blood and flesh. For her, the Eastern Church is purer than the entire Roman hierarchy. Her servants, the Christians, were always devoted to their Master, the teachings of the Evangelists and apostles, and flatly refused to follow the Latin apostates. The authority of the original Apostolic Church was very high. The people listened to every word of Jesus and the apostles, because there was truth in their words, and they came from God himself. And the Latin schismatics, according to E.P., out of envy of their fellows, impotence and hatred, called the Church of Jesus - the “Schismatic Church”, sowing confusion and intolerance.

To prove the truth that the Roman Church is “untruthful, schismatic, and its founder is the Apostle Peter, a “cowardly and ignorant” person, Blavatsky refers to the books of various authors, invariably militant, critical of the Apostle Peter. She set out to dispel the myth about the authority of the supreme apostle Peter, so highly revered by the Roman Church. She shows dislike for him even in his name, and proves that the words Peter, or Patar and Pitar, which Jesus endowed Simon with, do not correspond to their purpose. Their basis is in the ancient mysteries. And Peter has nothing to do with the word "stone". E.P. does not believe at all that Jesus Christ could make a "cowardly" person, even a "traitor", his faithful disciple and chief apostle. This is contrary to human logic, the laws of morality and Christian life.

In the Preface to the second volume of Isis Unveiled, Blavatsky reveals the secret why she does not like Christian theologians, various church missionaries, who clog the minds of believers with their lectures. She writes: “As an analysis of religious beliefs in general, this volume is especially directed against theological Christianity, the main opponent of free thought. It does not contain a single word against the pure teachings of Jesus, but mercilessly exposes their degeneration into perniciously harmful church systems that destroy a person's faith in his immortality, in his God, and undermine all moral freedom.

We throw down the gauntlet to dogmatic theologians who would like to enslave both history and science, and in particular to the Vatican, whose despotic pretensions have become hated by most of the enlightened Christendom. Leaving the clergy aside, no one but logically minded and courageous researchers should be concerned with books like this one. Such truth divers have the courage to have their own opinions.” (Isis Unveiled, vol. 2, p. 9].

For frank statements against the Vatican, and its "God's servants", the Latin Church declared an open war against Blavatsky. She calls her "godless", "swindler", "not clean" and other epithets. The Roman hierarchs even threatened her with legal proceedings that would not be in her favor.

E.P. constantly reminds that the Gospel story was deliberately distorted by the “holy fathers”, the pontiffs in cassocks, pelioluses, with the golden rings of the Fisherman (Peter) on their right hands and with Tiaras on their heads. Taking the apostles Peter and Paul for historical figures, she at the same time seeks to prove that they deceived the people with their eloquence and forced them to accept the rite of baptism and become Christians. In the name of Jesus, the apostles promised everyone freedom from various church fetters: from the Jewish religion, from Shiites, Sunnis, Gnostics, Sadducees and Pharisees, and other sects that were in circulation in the first and second centuries of the Christian era. From the speech of the apostles, the believers understood only one thing - that now they are “the children of the promise.

The Apostle of Circumcision (Peter), says Blavatsky, supporting the high priests, promised everyone, if they keep the “law”, to believe in life after death and resurrection, then their life will be pleasing to the new god - Jesus Christ. But Peter never missed an opportunity to contradict Paul. Without mentioning his name, he pointed to him so clearly that it was impossible to doubt whom he had in mind. From the words of Elena Petrovna, it becomes clear why both apostles had such great success among the uneducated people, and why among literate people their popularity went down sharply. Indeed, the people could not figure out who the truth was: Peter, Paul, or the high priests, who demanded that the Law of Moses be observed.

Where was the truth? Blavatsky asks. Who had the inspired word of God? “On the one hand, as we have seen, they heard the apostle Paul explaining that of the two testaments, “which are allegories,” the old testament from Mount Sinai, “which gives rise to bondage,” is Hagar, the slave; and Mount Sinai itself corresponds to "Jerusalem" who is now "in bondage" with her circumcised children; and that the New Testament signifies Jesus Christ - "Jerusalem which is above and free"; and on the other hand, Peter, who contradicted him and even insulted him. Paul fervently exclaims, "Cast out the servant woman and her son" (i.e., the old law and the synagogue). "The son of a slave will not be heir with the son of a free woman." “Stand in the freedom that Christ has given us; and do not again be subjected to the yoke of slavery. Behold, I, Paul, say to you: if you are circumcised, you will not benefit from Christ!” [Once. Isis, book. 2, p.233].

What does Peter write? Who does he mean in his words?

E.P. wants to understand what Peter means when he writes his angry words in the second Catholic Epistle: “Those who utter pompous vainglory words ... While they promise them freedom, they themselves are servants of corruption, for what a person is obsessed with, thus he is enslaved... For if they escaped the filthiness of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior, then they again fell into fetters and were shackled... it would be better for them not to learn the path of righteousness than, after holy commandments given to them. [Ibid].

From the words of Peter it becomes clear that he is not talking about the Gnostics, who never saw the "holy commandments given to them", but about the "self-appointed" Apostle Paul, who saw them. The Gnostics did not promise anyone "freedom" from religious fetters, and Paul promised more than once. Peter's words give Blavatsky reason to criticize the apostle Paul for not accepting the "Old Testament", the slave of Hagar, to which the apostle Peter held on so strongly. It also became clear why Paul warns people against the forces and authorities (lower angels of the Kabbalists), while Peter respects them and reviles those who oppose this. And why he preaches circumcision and Paul disagrees with him.

Most of all, Blavatsky criticizes the caste of bishops and their accomplices, who managed to forcibly squeeze into the theological system laws hostile to the people, which gave them the right to carry out forced Christianization. With their formidable church penances and anathemas, which fell on the heads of the pagans who resisted violent faith, they killed millions of people and did this in the name of God and His mercy. That's when the Reformation came.

“She certainly deserves her name in the most paradoxical sense. She left Peter and claimed to have chosen Paul as her only leader. And the apostle who thundered against the old law of slavery, who gave complete freedom to Christians to observe the Sabbath or not, who rejected everything that preceded John the Baptist, is now the proclaimed standard-bearer of Protestantism, who adheres to the old law more than the Jews, throws to prison those who regard the Sabbath as Jesus and Paul did, and surpass the synagogue of the first century in dogmatic intolerance!” . [Ibid., p.233].

This means that the martyrdom of Peter in Rome, as Blavatsky understands it, is nothing but a late myth that cannot be trusted. This means that the apostle Peter ended his life not on the cross in Rome, head down, but in Babylon, “upstairs in the tower.” From the same tower, and not "from prison", as is customary, the apostle Peter sent his last letters to fellow believers - circumcised Judaizing Christians. Here, in Babylon, in his declining years, he composed inspired hymns that were so close to the spirit of Judaism. They were later recommended by rabbis for use in synagogues.

If we agree that the famous fragment of the Gospel of Matthew, about Peter's threefold denial of Christ, was written by the Gnostics many years after his death, then Blavatsky perceives the named "denial" as an allegory, or a funny fiction. Elena Petrovna is trying to convince everyone that the Gospel story, revered by Christians, is a story with elements of myths.

If we take this issue more seriously, then it must be said that in her writings, Blavatsky was not able to convince some that the Apostle Peter is an “ignorant” person, “cowardly”, “traitor”, violator of morality and author of various dubious misconduct. Although, to tell the truth, Blavatsky had a warm and positive attitude towards the Bible, the New Testament.

Apostle Paul in the interpretation of Helena Blavatsky

About the Apostle Paul, Blavatsky writes somewhat differently than about Peter. Her attitude towards this apostle is warmer, her thoughts are more interesting, and it is not at all difficult to notice that she feels sympathy for Paul. And although he often criticizes him, sometimes strongly, and for everything in the world, this criticism is gentle, not derogatory, rather, good-natured and warm, and aimed at finding out the truth about the brave apostle. Indeed, many different legends and myths were created about the Apostle Paul, and of a positive nature, which emphasizes his wisdom, courage and devotion to Christ.

This feature was noticed in his book - "Qumran and Christ", and A. Vladimirov, who reported on the Apostle Paul the following: “The more time passes from the moment of genuine historical events, the less and less their heroes in the minds of their ardent fans remain similar to themselves. The apostle Paul did not escape this fate. Paul theologians is no longer a real person, but an icon. In particular, a touching legend was invented for him, according to which from an obscure Jew, a militant Orthodox and the first persecutor of Christians, Paul in an instant turned into the greatest founder of the Church, into a patient mentor and a skilled Christian preacher. For a theological "miracle", such a story is quite acceptable, but for real life - not quite. [A. Vladimirov. Qumran and Christ].

Complementing the characterization of Paul, A. Vladimirov quotes from Blavatsky's article "Conversation with" Zero ", published in the magazine" Theosophist "for March 1883:

“As for Paul, as far as I know, no one ever considered him an adept, least of all our occultists, since his biography is too well known. A simple tent maker (and not a "fierce soldier" as Null portrays him), he was first a persecutor of the Nazarenes, then adopted the new faith and became its passionate preacher. It was Paul who was the true founder of Christianity, the reformer of a small organization, the core of which consisted of the Essenes, Nabataeans, therapists and representatives of other mystical brotherhoods (theosophical societies of ancient Palestine), which received the name "Christian", more than three centuries later, namely, under the emperor Constantine. Paul's visions from beginning to end indicate that he was a medium rather than an adept, for to become an adept requires many years of study and preparation, culminating in an initiation rite conducted by a high Hierophant. [Blavatskaya H.P. Conversation with "Zero" // In: Blavatskaya E.P. Death and immortality. M.: Sphere. 1998. Issue. 3. S. 204].

As we can see, Blavatsky's characterization given to the Apostle Paul is positive. It is truthful, convincing, and differs little from what Christians know about Paul. For H.P., Paul is a pure Kabbalist, and she finds many human virtues in him. Blavatsky does not deny that under the name of Simon Magus, perhaps, the apostle Paul is hiding, whose Epistles were both secretly and openly slandered by Peter, who accused them of containing "impreasonable" learning. This is eloquently reported in the famous book "Supernatural Religion", which Blavatsky often quotes.

“The apostle to the non-Jews was bold, frank, sincere, and very learned; the apostle of Circumcision was cowardly, cautious, insincere and very ignorant. That Paul was partly, if not entirely, initiated into the theurgical mysteries, there is little doubt. His language, phraseology, is so peculiar and characteristic of the Greek philosophers, some expressions used only by the Initiates are true distinguishing marks leading to such a conclusion. Our suspicion was reinforced by a talented article, in one of the New York periodicals, entitled "Paul and Plato", in which the author puts forward one remarkable and for us very valuable observation. He shows how Paul's Corinthians is replete with "...expressions inspired by the Sabazean and Eleusinian initiations, and the lectures of the (Greek) philosophers. He (Paul) characterizes himself as idiotes [an uneducated, ignorant person; ignorant, ignorant, profane], that is, as a person unskilled in the Word, but not in gnosis, or philosophical learning. “We preach wisdom among the perfect,” he writes, “but the wisdom is not of this world and to the authorities of this world are transitory, but we preach the wisdom of God, secret, hidden, which ... "None of the powers of this world has known it." (Corinth. 11, 6-8).. [Disassembled] Isis, vol. 2, pp. 121-122].

The words of the Apostle Paul H.P. calls "unequivocal", indicating that the apostle belonged to the mysts (initiates), and spoke of things that are shown and explained only in the mysteries. The expression - "Divine wisdom is hidden, which none of the archons of this world knew", in her opinion, have some direct relation to the basil of the Eleusinian initiation, who knew everything. This basile belonged to the entourage of the great hierophant and was one of the archons of Athens; as such he was one of the chief mystics, and belonged to the inner mysteries, to which only a very select and small number had access. The officials in charge of the Eleusinia were called archons.

Another proof that Paul belonged to the circle of "Initiates" are the following details. The apostle's head was shorn in Senchrei (where Lucius, Apuleius was initiated), since "he made a vow." The Nazars, or the separated ones, as the Jewish Scriptures call them, had to cut off their long hair, which "the razor was not to touch," and sacrifice it on the altar of initiation. The Nazars were a class of Chaldean theurgists to whom Jesus was related.

The words of the Apostle Paul - "By the grace of God, which is given to me as a wise master builder, I laid the foundation" (Corinth. ІІІ, 10), for Blavatsky are a revelation. Because, in the entire Bible, the expression "master builder" occurs only once. In the mysteries, most of the sacred rites are called epopteia, or revelation, which means that the apostle Paul, as a “master builder,” had access to all the secrets of the Initiates.

“In essence,” says Elena Petrovna, “we are dealing with the highest stage of divine clairvoyance, “when everything related to this earth disappears, and earthly vision is paralyzed, and the soul, pure and free, unites with its Spirit or God. But the real meaning of this word would be "supervision", from optomai - I see for myself. In Sanskrit, the word evapto has the same meaning as acquire. The word epopteia is a compound word from Επι - on, and όπτομαι - to look, or overseer, overseer - also used as a master builder. The title of Master Mason in Freemasonry is derived from this word in the sense used in the Mysteries. Therefore, when Paul calls himself "master builder," he uses a word predominantly kabbalistic, theurgical, and Masonic, which no other apostle used. Thus he declares himself adept, entitled to initiate others." [The Secret Doctrine, vol. 3, p. 165]. If you continue your search in this direction with such guidebooks as the Greek mysteries and the Kabbalah, it is easy to uncover the secret reason why Peter, John and James so hated and persecuted Paul. Blavatsky insists that the author of Revelation was a Jewish Kabbalist. “His envy during the earthly life of Jesus extended even to Peter; and it is only after the death of their common teacher that we see how these two apostles - of whom the first wore the miter and Petalun of the Jewish rabbi - began to preach the rite of circumcision furiously. In the eyes of Peter, Paul, who humiliated him, and who, as he felt, was far superior to him in terms of "Greek learning" and philosophy, naturally must have seemed a magician, a man defiled by the "Gnosis", the "wisdom" of the Greek mysteries - therefore, perhaps "Simon Volkhom" .. [The Secret Doctrine, vol. 3, pp. 165-166].

The Apostle Paul, as an Initiate, through Revelation was given to know the Teaching of Jesus Christ, His incarnation and mission, which he fulfilled according to the conscience and command of Christ. This for the other apostles was a difficult task. It becomes clear why the Apostle Paul so easily converted pagans to Christianity, created new religious societies (the Church), appointed presbyters, and instructed how a new church monastery should behave with all believers and non-believers. For the tremendous work done by the Apostle Paul in the spread of Christianity, Helena Blavatsky called the Holy Apostle Paul - "The real founder of modern Christianity."

The apostle Paul conveyed his ascetic life in the Epistles. They, as we know, are a masterpiece of religious art, and reflect the most interesting life of the holy ascetic. In 2 Timothy, a few days before his death, Paul summed up his life. The result is sad and optimistic, and deserves to be heard: “For I am already becoming a victim, and the time of my departure has come. I fought a good feat. I have completed the course, I have kept the faith, and now a crown of righteousness is being prepared for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearance. .

Blavatsky's Reflections on the Bible and Christianity

With all the critical attitude to the Bible, the books of the New Testament, Blavatsky did not hide her love and respect for the Orthodox faith, the faith of her fathers, grandfathers and parents. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that, criticizing Catholicism and Protestantism, she found warm words for the religion that had entered her blood and flesh since childhood - Christianity.

In a letter to her aunt, Nadezhda Fadeeva, Blavatsky writes:

“I know how sincere and pious you are, how pure and clear your faith is, and I can only hope that you will understand: my books not against religion not against Christ, but against the cowardly hypocrisy of those who torture, burn at the stake, kill in the name of the Almighty Son of God from the very first moment after he died on the cross for all mankind, for sinners, especially for the fallen, for the pagans, for the fallen women and the lost - and all this is happening in His name! Where is the Truth? Where to find it?

... "Where is the truth - what is the truth?" Pilate asked Christ, and this was 1877 years ago. Where is she? I, a poor sinner, also asked, but I could not find an answer anywhere. All around is deception, treachery, cruelty - and the legacy of the Jewish Bible, which lies a heavy burden on the shoulders of Christians and with the help of which half of the Christian world strangled even the teaching of Christ himself. Don't misunderstand me: this does not apply to our Orthodoxy. The book does not mention him. I once and for all refused to analyze it, because I want to keep at least one secluded corner in my heart where doubt would not creep in - a feeling that I drive away from myself with all my might. The common people are sincere in their faith; it may be blind, unreasonable, but this faith leads the people to good. And although our priests are often drunkards and thieves, and sometimes just idiots, their faith is still pure and can only lead to good. The teacher admits this and says that the only people in the world whose religion is not speculative are the Orthodox. [Letter 1, N. Fadeeva. 1877. In the book: Letters to Friends and Colleagues].

After such frank confessions, it is hard to believe that E.P. Blavatsky waged open war on Christianity and the Bible. She never had such thoughts. She argued with Christian hierarchs, with those who distorted the Bible, the Old Testament, and the gospel stories.

Blavatsky writes: “We undertake to prove that mysticism is the very life and soul of religions; ...that “The Bible is only misread and misrepresented when it is dismissed as presenting fables and contradictory statements; that Moses did not err, but spoke to "the children of men" in the only language in which children in their infancy can be addressed; that this world is something quite different from what it is supposed to be; that what is ridiculed as superstition is only true and the only scientific knowledge and, moreover, that modern knowledge and modern science are not only superstition to a large extent, but superstition very destructive and deadly. With. 162].

Blavatsky believes that no matter how historically true the figure of Jesus in the New Testament, Acts, and Epistles, there is much symbolic and allegorical in them. Blavatsky quotes from The Source of Measures: “It must be remembered that our present Christianity is the Christianity of Paul, and not of Jesus. In his life, Jesus was a Jew, subject to the law: even more than that. He says: “The scribes and Pharisees sit on the seat of Moses; so whatever they tell you to do, you observe and do.” And again: "I did not come to break the law, but to fulfill it." Therefore, He was under the rule of the law until the day of His death, and while He lived, He could not abolish one iota of it. He was circumcised and ordered to be circumcised.

But Paul said that circumcision does nothing, he (Paul) abolished this law. Saul and Paul - that is, Saul under the law, and Paul released from the obligations of the law - were in one person, only parallelisms in the flesh, Jesus, the man under the power of the law and keeping it, who thus died in the Chrestos and rose freed. from his obligations in the spirit world as Christos, or the triumphant Christ. It was Christ that was delivered, but Christ was in the Spirit. Saul, in the flesh, was a function and parallel of Chrestos. Paul in the flesh was the function and parallel of Jesus, made Christ in the spirit, as the original reality, to correspond and act for the apotheosis: and thus invested with all authority in the flesh; to abolish human law” [Ibid., p.163].

Blavatsky argues that the real reason why Paul is presented as "abolishing the law" can only be found in India. There, to this day, the most ancient customs and privileges have been preserved in complete purity, despite abuses. It is there that one class of people exists, “who can trample on the laws of Brahmin institutions, including caste ones, with impunity, and this is committed"Swami", Yogis - who have attained or are thought to have attained the first degree on the way to the state of Jivanmukta - or wholly Initiates. And Paul was unquestionably an Initiate.” This is very well said in Isis Unveiled:

“Let us take Paul: read the little authenticity that remains of him in the writings attributed to this bold, honest, sincere man, and you will see if anyone can find in them a single word that would mean what Paul meant by in the word Christ, anything more than the abstract ideal of personal divinity indwelling man. For Paul, Christ is not a person, but an incarnate idea. "If any man abides in Christ, he is a new creation," he was reborn as after consecration, for the Lord is the spirit of man. Paul was the only one of the apostles who understood the innermost ideas underlying the teachings of Jesus, although he never met him” [Secret Doctrine, p.164].

Blavatsky acknowledges that Paul was not infallible or perfect. In his desire to bring about a new and wide reform, embracing all mankind, he placed his own doctrines above the wisdom of the ages, above the ancient Mysteries and the final revelations of the Eliots, in which he was greatly mistaken.

Differences between Peter and Paul

To prove that there was antagonism between the apostles Peter and Paul, Blavatsky refers to many famous and unknown authors, including the book Supernatural Religion, which reports that in the days of Marcion, there were two large parties in the original church. One of them saw in Christianity "only a continuation of the law and sought to reduce it to the institution of the Israelites, to the narrow sect of Judaism." Another party viewed such a revelation "as the introduction of a new system applicable to all, and replacing the Mosaic Covenant of the Law with the universal covenant of Mercy."

These parties were led by two apostles - Peter and Paul. According to Blavatsky, they were at enmity with each other and did not reconcile until the end of their lives. To prove her case, Elena Petrovna refers to the “Epistle of the Apostle Peter to the Gallatians”, as well as to the book we indicated, where it is said that “Peter unequivocally denies that Paul, whom he calls Simon Magus, ever had a vision of Christ. He calls Paul an "enemy".

Blavatsky believes that the question of who exactly was called "Simeon" is still open to critics. From the "Acts" it is known that Simon Magus possessed magical abilities and was nicknamed "The Great Power of God." “But what Irenaeus and Epiphanius say about Simon Magus, namely, that he pretended to be an incarnated trinity; that in Samaria he was the Father, in Judea the Son, and that to non-Jews he pretended to be the Holy Spirit, is simply slander.” “However, after years of denial, the actual existence of Simon Magus was finally proven, whether he was Saul, Paul or Simon. A manuscript was found in Greece, speaking about him under the last name, which put an end to further reasoning. (T.D. Volume 3, Section XIV)

Blavatsky writes: “Simon was a disciple of the Tanaim of Samaria, and the reputation that he left behind him, together with the title “Great Power of God”, testifies to the talent and learning of his Masters. Yet the slanderous slanders so jealously spread against Simon Magus by the unknown authors and compilers of the Acts and other writings could not obscure the truth to such an extent as to hide the fact that not a single Christian could compete with him in thaumaturgical deeds. The fable that is told about his fall during an air flight, when he broke both legs and then committed suicide, is ridiculous. “That Simon could fly, that is, rise into the air for several minutes, is not impossible. Modern mediums have done the same thing, supported by a force that spiritualists stubbornly call "spirits." But if Simon did it, he did it with the help of a self-acquired blind force that pays little heed to the prayers and orders of rival adepts, let alone saints. The fact is that the logic is contrary to the alleged fall of Simon through Peter's prayer. For if Simon had been publicly defeated by this apostle, his disciples would have deserted him after such an obvious mark of inferiority and would have become legitimate Christians. But we find that even the author of the Pnilosophumens, just such a Christian, gives a different testimony. Simon lost so little in the eyes of his disciples and the masses that he continued to preach daily in the Roman Campagna after a fall from the clouds "well above the Capitol" attributed to him, and in this fall he only broke his legs! It can be said that such a happy fall is in itself a miracle. (T.D. Volume 3, Section XIV)

In addition, Blavatsky finds echoes of the enmity between Peter and Paul in the Gospel books, in the Epistles of the Apostle Paul. Indeed, Paul, as a true Christian, condemns some of Peter's actions. He speaks frankly of this in his epistle to the Corinthians: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as the apostles of Christ. And it is not surprising: because Satan himself takes the form of an Angel of light, and therefore it is not a great thing if his servants also take the form of servants of truth; but their end will be according to their deeds.” .

Blavatsky, fulfilling the will of the Teachers, tries to find in various books such examples, where the apostle Paul spoke critically about believers, their shepherds and individual apostles, who allowed in their behavior this or that oversight, discrediting the title of a Christian. It is no secret that in the Epistle to the Gallatians, there are several statements of the Apostle Paul addressed to his brother Peter, condemning his familiarity with the pagans. He says, “When Peter came to Antioch, I personally opposed him, because he was being reproved. For, before the arrival of some from Jacob, he ate with the Gentiles; and when they came, he began to hide and withdraw, fearing the circumcised. Other Jews were hypocrites along with him, so that even Barnabas was caught by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they did not directly act according to the truth of the Gospel, I said to Peter in front of everyone: if you, being a Jew, live in a pagan way, and not in a Jewish way, then why do you force the Gentiles to live in a Jewish way? .[Pavel Galat. 2:11-15].

The fact that the apostles criticized each other was no big secret to anyone. This was the norm of their life and behavior, although they remained true friends. This is evidenced by the confession of the Apostle Paul: "Then, after three years, I went to Jerusalem to see Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days." . [Gal. 1:18-19].

Staying for 15 days with a friend who has a family and children says a lot. Therefore, we take the position of Helena Blavatsky when she says that both apostles were called to enlighten the people and bring them the good news about Jesus Christ.

But in the same Epistle, says Blavatsky, there are other words of the Apostle Paul directed at the Apostle Peter. In it, Paul supports all the apostates, including Peter: “Brethren! he says. If a person falls into what sin, you, spiritual ones, correct it in the spirit of meekness, watching each one of yourselves, so as not to be tempted. Carry one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:1-3). The answer of the apostle to non-Jews is eloquent enough. He is for peace and friendship in all respects, and there is no disagreement between them in this.

The position of the Apostle Paul in any conflicts is conciliatory. He does not carry a stone in his bosom, he does not hold anger in his heart. Pavel is a gentle person. He is for the mentee to share with the educator. “Don't be fooled,” he says. God is not mocked. What a man sows, that he will reap. So, as long as there is time, let us do good to everyone, and especially to our own by faith” .[Ibid.].

The Apostle Paul criticizes Peter not with malice, but kindly, and so that the apostle draws the right conclusions, realizes his mistake and does not act like that again. There is no aggression in the Epistle to the Gallatians. There are instructions, recommendations, and the outstretched hand of friendship.

At the same time, Paul in every way emphasizes his decency, devotion to Jesus Christ and His holy cause. He says that a person is justified only by faith in Jesus Christ, and not by works of the law. “By the law I died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for Me. I do not reject the grace of God." . [Galat. 2:19-21].

Elena Petrovna is looking for the truth in the Bible, in other ancient books. She wants to prove to Catholic missionaries, to the entire Roman hierarchy, that the bearers of their faith are not at all the people for whom they are given out by religious fans. She criticizes not Jesus Christ, not the apostles and evangelists, not ordinary Christians, but the entire Roman church, its "ascetic saints" who distorted the essence of Holy Scripture and imposed a distorted version of the Bible on the people. She criticizes the Apostle Peter in order to show that the Roman Church distorted his appearance, expelled the truth from his image and made an icon out of a real, living, courageous person.

Blavatsky promises to discuss in what sense the revelation of the Hebrew Bible, considered by the Gnostics, is less blasphemous than the Roman Catholics themselves. The Catholic Church Fathers, in her opinion, forcibly imposed on believers such a Bible, which is contrary to the norms and laws of Christian morality, and whose teachings were rejected by Christ himself.

Blavatsky cites one fact. The fact that the Apostle Peter remained “the apostle of circumcision” to the end speaks for itself. “Whoever built the church in Rome was not Peter. If it were Peter, then the successors of this apostle would also have to submit to circumcision, if only for the sake of consistency, and to show that the claims of the popes are not entirely without foundation. Dr. Inman states that it is stated that "in our Christian times the popes must be personally perfect," but we do not know whether this perfection extends to the fulfillment of the Jewish law pertaining to the Levites. The first fifteen Christian bishops of Jerusalem, beginning with James and ending with Judas, were all circumcised Jews. . [Once. Isis. Vol.2, part 3].

In Sefer Toldos Yeshu, an ancient Hebrew manuscript, the version of Peter is presented differently. Simon Peter, it says, was one of their brethren, although he somehow deviated from the laws; and Jewish hatred and persecution of this apostle seems to have existed only in the fertile imagination of the fathers of the faith. The author speaks of him with great reverence and benevolence, calling him "a faithful servant of the living God", who spent his life in asceticism and meditation, "living in Babylon at the top of a tower", writing hymns and preaching mercy. He adds that Peter always advised Christians not to annoy Jews, but as soon as he died, another preacher went to Rome and claimed that Simon Peter had recast his teacher's teachings. He invented a burning hell and threatened everyone with this hell; promised miracles, but performed none.

Blavatsky sometimes cites such words of Peter as compromising his brethren, especially the Apostle Paul. In Peter's letter to James, she emphasizes: "For some among the non-Jews rejected my lawful preaching and adopted some lawless and foolish doctrine of hostile people (the enemy)." . [Last. Peter Jacob, § 2]. We see that these poisonous arrows are flying towards the apostle Paul.

But in her books there are also other words of the Apostle Peter, spoken by him in the First Catholic Epistle: grow to your salvation; for you have tasted that the Lord is good.” . [1 Cathedral. Pos. Peter. 2:].

We are aware that the subject of our conversation - about the "war" of the apostles Peter and Paul - is both endless and almost insoluble. Everyone is free to consider it for their own reasons. Whoever seeks war finds it, and whoever seeks peace is rewarded with peace and grace. With regard to the true founder of Christianity - Jesus Christ, we will inform you the following: we have not touched on this difficult issue for the simple reason that our article - "Jesus Christ in the writings of Helena Blavatsky", should soon appear on the Adamant website. We add that to establish the truth in the Bible, the books of the New Testament and their main characters, Blavatsky used 667 books of different authors, from antiquity to her own day.

In fact, it is not difficult to collect quotations from books by various authors testifying to the disagreements between the two main apostles of the Gospel story - Peter and Paul, in the writings of Blavatsky. There are plenty of them. And all of them testify to one thing: the disrespect of some authors for Christian history, for its historical facts, and for historical figures who have become symbols of holiness for all Christians. Especially Elena Petrovna focuses her attention on the main personality of the New Testament - Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, whom she draws with great love and respect.

The position of Helena Blavatsky towards Christianity, towards Jesus Christ, the apostles, evangelists, myrrh-bearing women, other female images of the Bible, towards the entire New Testament is positive and warm. She recommends that we take everything positive from the Bible and its heroes, and most importantly, faith that warms and gives hope to everyone for a different life.

If we take a closer look at the work of Helena Blavatsky, look at it from the point of view of human faith, especially Christianity, we will see that she never preferred one faith. The problem of the exclusivity of a particular religion has always been alien to her. But, nevertheless, love and respect for Christianity, for the faith of her relatives and friends, was in her first place. And when she wrote her letters to her sister Vera or her aunt, Nadezhda Faleeva, she always expressed her love for the Orthodox faith, Jesus Christ, and for all the people of good will with whom she grew up and worked. Yes, she had respect for all religions, for all the wealth of world cultures. For her, God was always One. We will not find in her writings any calls for violence, disunity. God is One, and therefore there can be no divisions and divisions.

Helena Roerich also learned a lot of wise thoughts from Blavatsky. In her letters, Elena Ivanovna revealed her soul and showed her attitude towards religion and God. Let us quote a few statements from her letters in order to show what religion and God mean for the Great Soul.

“Those who can consider Christ as their Teacher will be greeted in the same way as others who follow Confucius, Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, Maitreya,” writes E. Roerich. “But we will ask them to really study the Teachings of Jesus Christ and apply it in life, then no separations will occur, for, truly, all great Testaments come from the One Source.” [E. Roerich. Letters, v.2, p. 195-196].

And again: “If you carefully and without prejudice read the “Letter on God”, you will see that the Mahatma denies and speaks only against the blasphemous, namely, human conception of the Personal God, cruel and unjust, punishing every heretic with eternal damnation and justifying all atrocities, performed in glorification of Him, the God of church dogma, who, being propitiated by the sacrifice of His Son, admits only those who believe in this sacrifice into His Heavenly Kingdom. But since humanity, from its very beginning, has been born and is being born in multitudes outside the bosom of the Christian Church, it means that the vast majority is condemned to eternal torment. But is it really their fault that the “Merciful” Father deigned to send His Only Begotten Son only at one time, only to one country and to one people? Why punish them? Are all these billions of souls doomed to burn forever in hell fire only because they did not have the opportunity to physically see and hear the Son? Such a God, the Mahatmas, verily, they do not know and do not revere. But it is impossible to call Them atheists, for how can They, who proclaim the immortality of the Spirit and Themselves, who have attained it, have anything in common with dead atheism? . [E. Roerich. Letters. v.1. 1929-1938. Minsk, 1992, p. 272-273].

Literature:

1. Men Alexander. Apostles. Ed. A. Me, M. 2010.
2. Gospels of Matthew, 16:18-19.//Bible. Books of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Edition of the Moscow Patriarchy. Moscow, 1988.
3. Acts of the Holy Apostles, 3:6-9. //Bible. M. 1988.
4. Gospels of John, 21:15-17.// Bible. M. 1988.
5. Gospels of John 21:18-19. //Bible. M. 1988.
6. 2 Epistle of Peter. 20:9-10. //Bible. M. 1988.
7. Acts of the Holy Apostles. 9:3-8. //Bible. M.1988.
8. Blavatsky E.P. Unveiled Isis. T.2. Eksmo, M.2011, p.227.
9. Blavatsky E.P. Unveiled Isis. T.2.Eksmo, M.2011, p. 9.
10. Blavatsky E.P. Unveiled Isis. T.2.Eksmo, M.2011, p.233.
11. Ibid. P.233.
12. Ibid. P.233.
13. Vladimirov A. Qumran and Christ. Belovodie, 2003.
14. Blavatsky E.P. Conversations with Zero. //Blavatskaya E.P. Death and immortality. M. Sphere, 1998, p. 204.
15. Blavatsky E.P. Unveiled Isis..T.2. Eksmo, M. 2011, pp. 121-122.
16. Blavatsky E.P. Secret Doctrine. v. 3. M. Eksmo, 2010. S. 165.
17. Ibid., p. 165-166.
18. Epistle of the Apostle Paul to Timothy. 3:6-9. Bible, M. 1988.
19. Blavatsky E.P. Letter 1 to N. Fadeeva. // Blavat. Letters to friends and co-workers. M. Sphere, 2003.
20. Blavatsky E.P. Secret Doctrine. T. 3. S. 162.
21. Ibid., p. 163.
22. Ibid., p. 163.
23. Paul 2 Corinthians 11:3-15. Bible, M. 1988.
24. Pavel. Gallatians 2:11-15. Bible. M. 1988.
25. Ibid., 1:18-19. Bible, M. 1988.
26. Ibid., 6:1-3. Bible, M. 1988.
27. Ibid.
28. Paul Gallatians 2:19-21. Bible. M. 1988.
29. Blavatsky E.P. Unveiled Isis. T. 2. Ch.3. M. Eksmo, 2011.
30. Peter. Letter to James. Bible. M. 1988.
31. Conciliar Epistle of Peter. 2:4. Bible. M. 1988.
32. E. Roerich. Letters, v.2, 1929 - 1938. p. 195-196.
33. E. Roerich. Letters. T.1. 1929-1938. Minsk, 1992, p. 272-273.

Two-on-the-two-th of July, the Church honors the memory of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, this holiday preceded the first of two years after Petr-dov, for almost a month, ve-ru-yu-shchie-we-we-we-li-lied to this date, as to a big-sho-mu holiday. Why? Why do we chi-ta-eat apo-sto-lov, what was the key to the mission of Peter and Pavel? This is discussed by can-di-dat physi-ko-ma-te-ma-ti-che-sciences and dea-con Ni-ko-lai So-lo-dov.

Rarely does anyone remember now that once Peter and Paul were called differently. Peter “according to the pass-port” was Si-mon, more precisely Shi-mon-nom, like Shi-mon Peres, and Pa-vel was Sav-lom, or Sa-u- scrap (Sha-u-scrap), as the first king of Iz-ra-i-la. Their Hebrew names are for-slo-no-no-name-on-ter-na-tsio-nal-nye: Peter, in Greek, ka-men, and Pa-vel, from la-tin-sko-go ma-lazy-cue. In Christ there is no Greek, no Jew, no Russian, no ta-ji-ka, no ta-ta-ri-na. But it was not easy for the first christ-sti-and-for us Jews to overcome the tsio-nal borders. For this, it would be necessary to deep-bo-kaya re-build co-knowledge - a process, someone from-ra-zil-sya yes- or on names.

Pe-re-ve-sti ve-ru into the language of another on-ro-yes - de-lo through-you-tea-but complicated. Yes, in Christ-an-Ev-ro-pe, the right-to-glory is accessible, but only to a very few - to this day it exists only in Russian, Serbian, Greek… There are pe-re-vo-das of god-service books - there are, and pe-re-vo-yes faiths into the language of culture, so that it ceases to be something alien-kind-but-ek-zo-ti-che-skim - no. And the right-of-glorious-churches-vi-dis-smat-ri-va-yut-sya in Germany only as a special form of sa-mo-you-ra-zhe-niya on-cio -nal minorities. It’s even worse things are in Ki-tai or Ta-i-lan-de: if the cul-tu-ra “doesn’t know” the Gospel, then pro-po- Ve-di there is nothing to rely on. Come-ho-dit-sya on-chi-nat from a clean-hundred-leaf-hundred. Imagine to yourself that you have to tell the ki-tai-tsam about right-in-glory. With what would you on-cha-whether?

One-on-a-pro-ble-we are modern mis-si-o-no-ditch is still not too ve-li-ki in comparison with you-paw-shi-mi on up to the first apo-hundreds. Ver-ra Christ-hundred-va for a few de-sya-ti-year-old races-pro-stra-ni-las all over the Roman Empire. The little Jewish sect turned into the first (and essentially the only) world-religion. A handful of scholars were pre-ob-ra-zi-lased into the All-Lena Church. It would be a miracle. But chu-do it was co-ver-she-but ru-ka-mi people - apo-sto-catch, for the most part simple fish-ba-kov. They are, in a way, a special gift and a calling - to co-zi-give the Church - holy, so-born, apo-stol-sky. First of all, among the apo-hundreds, we call Peter and Pavel, the first-upper-of the apo-hundreds.

What are you-de-la-et-xia their role in the race-pro-country-non-christianity? After all, they don’t call the first-in-the-top-hov-ny-mi neither John-on-the-word-va, nor the evan-ge-li-hundred Matthew, nor Eeyore-ko-va , the first episcopal-pa Ieru-sa-li-ma. All the apostles worked on one thing, they all witnessed about Christ, but the service of the apostles was Pet- ra and Pavel would be especially ben-ny already because they would judge-de-but pass through-you-tea-but important borders. Apostle-stvo and always there is a re-ho-de-de-borders: sent from God to the “external-them”, to those who are still beyond the borders of the Church; he goes beyond the mouths of the new-linen ru-be-zhi-communities in order to enlighten and save those who are still in darkness. Very often these would be geo-gra-fi-che-ski-mi: apo-table Fo-ma pro-po-ve-do-val in India, equal-noap-o - so-so Ni-na in Georgia, equal-noap-o-so-ny Ni-ko-lai (1836-1912) in Japan, equal-noap-o-so-so-ny prince Vla-di- world christened Russia. But from-no-way, not all-gda-pro-po-ve-di meant-cha-a-spatial-re-re-placement: apo-sto-lu Pet-ru you- pa-lo first turn to the tongues, and not to the Jews, and this was the most important rub-beige, although he was not yarn-wives with far-ni-mi pu-te-she-stvi-i-mi. Jude-ev, from-branded-people from-de-la-li from unfaithful many-ve-to-the-news-new-le-niya - it was difficult to re-rei-ti them -more than going to the ends of the world. It is not the case to decide on the pro-to-tongue-no-kam Pet-ru on-to-beat-sya a special sign - see-de-nie, in which then the Lord repeated three times, turning to Peter, do not disdain anything from what He cleansed. Peter pro-ve-do-val Cor-ni-liyu hundred-no-ku, and, strengthening the re-shi-bridge of the apo-sto-la, the Holy Spirit descended on the hundred-no-ka and those who were with him, when they were not yet baptized in water. Peter took the first step, not all the Christians (then, like the Jews) approved of him for-chi-for-ing. Continued the de-lo enlightenment of the peoples of the “apo-table of the Gentiles” Pa-vel.

The first-upper-hov-ny apostle Pa-vel was not different from Peter's companion Spa-si-te-la in His earthly life. He didn’t witness miracles and healing, he didn’t receive from Jesus Christ both-the-va-ny, like an old to the she-mu of two-on-twenty: “You are Peter, and on this stone I am waiting for My Church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it, and I will give you the key -chi of the Kingdom of Heaven-no-go, and what you bind on earth, it will be connected-for-but in heaven-these ... "() - almost incompatible words- wah! Roman per-priests-no-ki don’t you-hold them you-with-you. According to tradition, they considered themselves to be on the trace of Peter, and, from the word of the Lord to themselves, from the time -me-it-for-cha-whether to-cheat myself without-sin-us-mi-in-place-no-ka-mi Christ on earth.

The apostle Pa-vel, on-op-tiv, on-cha-lu was go-ni-te-lem hri-sti-an and roar-ni-te-lem fa-ri-se-stva. He did not re-ro-val after the crucifixion and resurrection of the Spa-si-te-la. And only a special battle of God's blessing, for some reason Saul was able to beat on the way to Da-mask, where he went before -do-to-wat the teachings of Christ-hundreds, in-turn-well-lo him back. And now he is already a zealous pro-veda-nik Evangel-ge-liya, pro-sve-ti-tel of the tongues, on-stav-nick of the ra-shchen-nyh.

The letters of the apo-hundred-la Pavel to different cities make up a significant part of the books of the New Za-ve-ta, his in-the-teachings of the price-no-whether at all times, they continue to be-se-do-with us the apo-table, who lived according to - honor two you-sya-che-le-tia back. These letters through-you-tea-but bo-ga-you keep-mother-no-eat, although they require more labor-yut for understanding, than other new-for-vet-books. Through them, the blessed Av-gu-stin came to Christ; But deep-be-on-pav-lo-va of the god-word is no less dangerous than you are with the power of Peter. One-but-bo-something-to-va-nie according to the apo-hundred-la with-ve-lo Lu-te-ra to the bias-not-no-pits from the right faith, and until this day, pro-te-stan-you don’t refer to anything else so willingly, but to Paul’s message to Rome-la-us, uhit -rya-ya pro-ti-in-to-put it to all the rest of Pi-sa-niyu.

The labor of the apostles God calls all peoples into His Kingdom. Na-chi-na-whether your life path first-voap-o-hundred-ly with everything differently-no-mu: ho-ro-sho ob-ra-zo-van-ny Jew from the small-asian-go-ro-da Tar-sa Pa-vel and the Gal-li-ley-sky fish-tank Peter, from different sides they went to the community -mu de-lu, but did they both end their earthly life in Rome, killed during the pre-follow-before-va-niya hri-sti-an under Nero - go-ni -they didn’t reach their goal, the spa-si-tel-noe teaching quickly dis-pro-country-elk all over the world. Through two-ri, open first-in-top-hov-ny-mi apo-hundred-la-mi enter the Church on the ro-dy of the se-ve-ra and the south, for-pa-yes and for-one hundred.

Dia-kon Ni-ko-lai So-lo-dov

Holy Apostles Peter and Paul dedicated to thousands of churches and monasteries throughout the Orthodox world. Among them - Moscow Peter and Paul Church in Lefortovo, one of the oldest Russian churches in honor of these greatest saints. The church, founded at the beginning of the 17th century as Nikolskaya, and under Peter I, rebuilt and reconsecrated in honor of the heavenly patrons of the first Russian emperor.

As told + Tsargrad + Archimandrite Alexy (Vylazhanin), Rector of the Church of Peter and Paul in Lefortovo:

“This temple is one of the few churches in the city of Moscow that has never been closed. Divine services did not stop here in atheistic times. The only time when there were no services here was the time of the Napoleonic invasion of Moscow, when Moscow was empty, all the churches were closed. This fate befell our temple... The greatest pride of our temple is our iconostasis, which has been preserved in its original form. Icons painted by Kremlin masters still amaze with their beauty, their craftsmanship…"

Peter and Paul Church in Lefortovo

With special joy and reverence, the summer patronal feast is celebrated in these holy walls - day of the chief apostles Peter and Paul, completing a relatively short apostolic post, often referred to as Petrov.

From the history of the day of the chief apostles Peter and Paul

"According to church tradition, the holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul accepted holy martyrdom on the same day - June 29 according to the Julian calendar. The Apostle Peter was crucified with his head down, while the Apostle Paul, as a Roman citizen, could not be executed on the cross, and he was beheaded ..."

The fates of the supreme apostles were different: Saint Peter was called by Christ one of the first. Paul, on the other hand, was miraculously repentant persecutor of Christians Saul and became one of the apostles after the Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension of the Savior. But both apostles are united by a particularly zealous service to the Lord and tireless work to spread Christianity.

Saul's Conversion to the Lord

From the sermons of Metropolitan Nikolai (Yarushevich) (1891-1961)

"In the name of what did the holy apostles Peter and Paul carry their heavy apostolic feat? In the name of love for the Lord Savior and in the name of love for people, for they preached the word of God in order to save people, so that immortal souls would not perish for eternity, but awakened by words their sermons prepared themselves for the eternal blissful Kingdom. Such is the power of their love for people!.."

And in the Moscow church dedicated to the apostles Peter and Paul, such words were heard more than once, because many outstanding church leaders of recent centuries served and grew spiritually here. Father Alexy (Vylazhanin) emphasizes their spiritual continuity:

"Due to the fact that this temple was not closed, it absorbed not only those shrines that came here from ruined churches located around, but also concentrated the spiritual life of many districts of Moscow. In this temple, the Metropolitan was escorted on his last journey Trifon (Turkestanov), Elder Zosima, one of the last confessors of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra before its closure, and many, many others.Priests such as Archpriest Vladimir Divakov, who was baptized in this church, began their journey in the Church in this temple, was his As a parishioner, he also began his first pastoral ministry here, including Father Maftei Stadnyuk, who, having come here as a young priest, grew up here and from here went to obedience to His Holiness Patriarch Pimen..."

And today everyone can visit this unique temple and, having prayed in it, touch the uninterrupted church history of the city of Moscow in recent centuries, and receive the help and intercession of its heavenly patrons - the glorious and all-praised supreme apostles Peter and Paul.

"Parishioner" invites its readers, together with the entire Church, to remember the beloved disciples of the Lord and reflect on why they are almost always depicted together on icons.

When, as a child, I came to the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity, on Sparrow Hills, and put a candle in front of the icon of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, I often wondered why the apostles were depicted together on the icon ...

What unites these saints? Date of death, many will tell me. According to Church Tradition, the apostles Peter and Paul were martyred on the same day - June 29 / July 12 (old / new style) 67 years from the birth of Christ. Although, according to a number of historical sources, the Apostle Paul was executed exactly one year after the crucifixion of the Apostle Peter.

But personally, one date of death was not enough for me. I have always believed that the two saints are united by things much deeper.

Place of Birth? No. Peter was born in the town of Bethsaida (translated as “fishing house”), located in the northwest of the Lake of Galilee near the cities of Capernaum and Chorazin. Whereas Paul (who before the adoption of Christianity bore the name Saul) was born in the Cilician city of Tarsus, in the southeastern part of Asia Minor. Now this territory belongs to Turkey, and once it was first part of the Hittite kingdom, then the Achaemenid kingdom, and even for three hundred years it was part of the Armenian Empire of Tigran the Great. Alexander the Great, Byzantines, Arabs fought for this territory at different times… But two thousand years ago these lands were ruled by proud Rome.

Origin? And it's hard to find something in common between them. Peter was born into the family of a simple fisherman, Jonah. He himself was a fisherman. And his name was not Peter, but Simon (in Hebrew Shimon). Christ called him Peter, saying: “And I say to you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”(Matthew 16:18). By the way, the name Peter is of Greek origin, it is a direct translation from the Aramaic name Cephas - that is how Christ called his beloved disciple in the Aramaic dialect.

Saul was a Jew - he was born in the community of the Jewish diaspora. His father was a noble Pharisee, and from him Saul received the right to be called a Roman citizen. At that time it was a great honor, which few people could be honored with. Saul studied Torah with the most famous rabbi of the time, Gamaliel the Elder, and as a result received a brilliant education for those times: he knew philosophy, rhetoric, literature, and the history of religion. Saul was going to become a rabbi and according to some sources he was a member of the Sanhedrin.

Where are the common roots? On one side - a poor illiterate fisherman, on the other - an eminent Roman citizen with a brilliant education.

Faith in Christ? And in this matter their destinies, their life trajectories at first were exactly the opposite. Peter, together with his brother Andrew, followed the Savior as soon as He called them: “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men» (Mt. 4, 19). Peter believed in the Savior right away, believed selflessly, passionately, like a child. He was the first of the disciples of Jesus to recognize and declare Him the Son of God - “He says to them: And who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.(Matthew 16:15-16).

So great was Peter's faith in Jesus that he was ready to follow Christ through the raging waters of the Sea of ​​Galilee - “And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water to come to Jesus.”(Matthew 14:29). And so great was his love for the Savior that when they came to arrest Jesus, Peter rushed at the soldiers with a sword - “But Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.<…>But Jesus said to Peter, Put your sword back in its sheath; Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?"(Luke 18:10-11).

For his part, Saul was at first an ardent persecutor of Christians. As a member of the Sanhedrin, he approved the stoning of St. Stephen outside the walls of Jerusalem, and later violently persecuted Christians wherever he could - “But Saul tormented the Church, entering into houses, and dragging men and women, he gave it to prison”(Acts 8:3).

He even asked the Sanhedrin for permission to go to Damascus, in order to look for, seize and judge Christians there as well. Perhaps the fierce hatred that the adherent of the Old Testament law Saul had for Christians prompted the Lord to choose him as his apostle. “As he was walking and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shone on him; he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul! Why are you chasing me? He said: who are you, Lord? The Lord said: I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.(Acts 9:3-5). Saul was blind for three days. And this blindness was his first step towards enlightenment. For three days he did not see anything, did not drink or eat, until, at the command of the Lord, the disciple of Christ, Ananias, came to him. He laid hands on Saul, and he received his sight. He received his sight not only with his eyes - he received his sight in faith. And having received his sight and converted to Christianity, Saul-Paul began to defend the Church of Christ just as fiercely as he had persecuted and killed her followers until that moment.

It is curious that in terms of their position in the Christian community, the holy apostles Peter and Paul were, as it were, at opposite ends. Peter, being one of the beloved disciples of Christ, after the ascension of the Savior, became the unspoken head of the Church community. Whereas Paul, who was not fortunate enough to see Christ during His earthly life, considered himself the least of the apostles: “For I am the least of the Apostles, and I am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God”(1 Corinthians 15:9).

Joint actions. Both apostles traveled extensively in cities and countries, healing and converting thousands of people to Christianity. Egypt, Greece, Syria, the cities of Asia Minor - Antioch and Iconium, Phrygia and Galatia, Corinth and Ephesus ... At the same time, their life and missionary paths almost did not intersect: only twice did Peter and Paul meet in one place - in Jerusalem and Antioch. And then each went his own way, prepared for him by God.

Death for faith. Yes, here the date of death unites the apostles. 67 years from the birth of Christ. Rome. The Apostle Peter, on the orders of Emperor Nero, was captured and imprisoned. The emperor did not forgive him that Peter converted two of his beloved wives to Christianity. In those years, the Christians in Rome had a particularly hard time.

Let's rewind the wheel of time a few years back. Year 64. On the night of July 18-19, a fire broke out in Rome. He raged for 6 days and 7 nights; as a result, four of the fourteen districts were completely burned out, the rest were badly damaged. Some ancient historians then claimed that the city was set on fire by order of Nero himself. Like it or not, we don't know. But, as often happens in history, when the fire is extinguished, they look for those responsible ... or those who can be blamed. Nero blames the burning of Rome ... Christians. And the crowd rushes to seek and kill... The unfortunate Christians who found themselves in Rome in those years were killed by a terrible painful death: they were crucified on crosses, they were put on the skins of wild animals, and then they were poisoned by dogs, after dark they were simply burned to light the streets... This bacchanalia of death continued for many days and months...

So in the year 67, the apostle Peter perfectly understood what punishment Nero had prepared for him. By the way, a few days before the arrest, the surviving members of the Christian community begged Peter to run away and hide from the city until the emperor's anger subsided. They were afraid that with his death the community would be left completely without protection.

Yielding to their pleas, Saint Peter left the city at night ... and on his way he met Christ. "Domine, quo vadis?" (“Lord, where are you going?”) Peter turned to the Savior. “I am going to Rome to be crucified again,” the Savior replied. Peter understood what the Lord wanted to tell him, and with the words: “Domine, tecum veniam” (“Lord, let me be with you”), he turned back to Rome. Perhaps, at the moment of this meeting, Peter remembered how he once asked the Savior this question - “Where are you going, Lord?”. Thirty years have passed since the Savior spoke to His disciples on the eve of his arrest. Exactly then “Simon Peter said to Him, Lord! Where are you going? Jesus answered him: where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but later on you will follow me.”(Luke 13:36).

Upon his return to Rome, the Apostle Peter was captured by soldiers, imprisoned, and a few days later he was martyred. Since he was not a Roman citizen, he was expected to die on the cross. Peter only asked to be crucified upside down, as he considered himself unworthy to be crucified like Christ. His body was interred on the Vatican Hill.

... In 1939, archaeologists, with the permission of Pope Pius XII, began to conduct fundamental excavations there. And at a great depth they found the ruins of an ancient basilica built by Emperor Constantine the Great, and under it a small modest altar. And even lower - the so-called "red" slab, on which this basilica once relied. There was a short inscription on the plate: “Petros eni” (“Peter is here”)…

Like the apostle Peter, Paul was martyred during the reign of Nero. But since he was a Roman citizen, he could not be crucified or given to be eaten by lions. Therefore, outside the city walls on the Ostian road in a place called "Salvia Waters" he was beheaded. By the way, according to legend, the severed head of the apostle hit the ground three times when it fell, and in those places fountains filled with clean water were poured. They are hitting to this day. Later, a church was erected at the place of execution, which was called that - the Church in the name of the Apostle Paul "on the Three Fountains". The body of the holy apostle, after the execution, was taken by his faithful disciple, the pious Christian Lucian. She buried him in her estate on the Ostian road. Now on this site stands a grandiose temple - one of the four great basilicas of Rome - San Paolo Fuori le Mura ("St. Paul's Basilica outside the city walls"). In it, in the tomb under the main altar, lie the relics of the apostle.

Unfortunately, there is no exact data that the apostles Peter and Paul were martyred on the same day and in the same year. According to some historical documents, they really died to the day, other historians claim that the Apostle Paul died exactly a year after the crucifixion of Peter.

Was it by chance that the Lord ordained one date for two of His beloved disciples - June 29 (July 12 - according to the new style)? Was it by chance that fate brought them both to Rome in the last years of the reign of Emperor Nero? And is it by chance that on the Ostian road stands “The Church in the name of the holy glorious and all-praised chief apostles Peter and Paul along the Ostian road”, where the following words are written above the entrance: “At this place the holy apostles Peter and Paul parted from each other when they went to martyrdom death. And Paul said to Peter: "Peace be with you, the foundation of the Church and the shepherd of all the sheep of Christ." Peter answered Paul: “Go into the world, preacher of goodness and leader of the righteous on the path to salvation”?

As they say, accidents are not accidental.

The Lord deliberately called to his service and placed two such completely different people side by side, like the apostles Peter and Paul. Because the two of them - poorly educated, impulsive, but recklessly believing in the Savior, Peter, and a connoisseur of the history of religion, a brilliant orator Pavel - laid the foundation of the Christian Church. The choice of these two apostles, who became the pillars of the Christian Church, seemed to assert that the Christian faith is accessible to everyone - both the sage and the simple, and the Christian Church is ready to accept anyone - the poor and the emperor, the Pharisee and the Sadducee, the Jew and the pagan ...

Not wanting to underestimate the merits of the other apostles of Christ, I want to say that the holy apostles Peter and Paul did more than anyone else. They converted to Christianity many people in different countries: Jews, Romans, pagans. Everywhere they created Christian churches. And for this they suffered a lot: they were beaten, persecuted, thrown into prison. But each time they got up and went on, bringing the gospel light to people.

…I have a small icon on my desk, given to me by Hieromonk Roman (Koshelev) in Optina Hermitage. On it are the twelve apostles. Ahead - the holy apostles Peter and Paul, holding the Church of Christ in their hands ...