Written by Guide Catholic
Pope St. Peter (1º): Life, Martyrdom & Why He Is the First Pope
Pontificate: c. 30 – c. 64 · Origin: Bethsaida, Galilee, Roman Empire · Birth name: Petrus
St. Peter was the 1st pope of the Catholic Church, reigning c. 30 – c. 64 during the apostolic and patristic Church. Born Simon, son of Jonah. The Catholic Church venerates him as a saint.
Who Was Pope Peter?
Pope Peter — 1º in the Catholic list — reigned c. 30 – c. 64 during the apostolic and patristic Church. Born Simon, son of Jonah. This Guide Catholic profile gathers background, major acts, and legacy so you can read Peter beside neighboring pontiffs. Catholics also honor him as a saint whose intercession remains part of living devotion.
Early Life & Background
Born Bethsaida, Gaulanitis, Herodian tetrarchy, he entered a world shaped by politics and piety very different from today's global Church. Born Simon, son of Jonah.
Historical Context
Peter (#undefined) shepherded Christians when the faith was still illegal or barely tolerated inside the Roman Empire; records are thin, yet tradition preserves these earliest successors of St. Peter. St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City is named after him.
Pontificate & Key Events
The pontificate (c. 30 – c. 64) centered on governance during the apostolic and patristic Church. A Jewish peregrinus, free provincial subject of the Roman Empire who was not a Roman citizen. Feast day (Feast of Saints Peter and Paul) 29 June. According to Catholic tradition, he received the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven(Matthew 16:18–19).
Papal Acts & Achievements
Acts associated with Peter (#1, c. 30 – c. 64) still draw historians and Catholics who want more than a one-line summary. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 29 June.
Key Highlights
- 1st pope of the Catholic Church
- Pontificate: c. 30 – c. 64
- Venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church
- Feast day (Feast of Saints Peter and Paul) 29 June.
- Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 29 June.
Legacy in the Catholic Church
St. Peter remains pope 1º in the Annuario Pontificio. The Church still points to Peter's virtues for imitation. Set against the apostolic and patristic Church, Peter's choices show both the limits of any one pontiff and the continuity of the office he held.
Why Catholics Study This Pope Today
Place Peter on your mental map: 1º successor of Peter, reigning c. 30 – c. 64, formed by the apostolic and patristic Church. Because the Church venerates Peter, you may seek his intercession and check his feast in the Martyrology or local calendar. Start with the concrete record: St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City is named after him. Where bulls, conciliar acts, or encyclicals survive from this reign, they repay readers who want primary sources rather than summaries alone. Use the neighboring pontiff links below to test whether Peter's reign looks unique or typical for the apostolic and patristic Church.
Place in the Line of Succession
St. Peter opens the official list of Roman pontiffs as the first pope in Catholic reckoning. He was followed by Pope St. Linus (2º, c. 64 – c. 76), whose biography continues the chain on Guide Catholic. For the full chronological map, see our complete list of all 267 popes — then read neighboring biographies for contrast, not only continuity.