(? - a.d. 67),
apostle of Jesus
Christ.
Peter, a fisherman on the
sea of
Galilee, lived with his wife at Capernaum. One of the first apostles, he was regarded by Jesus with
special affection. He was the first to hail Jesus as
Messiah, but just before the crucifixion, h e denied three
times that he had any connection with Jesus. He became the acknowledged
leader of the earliest
Christian community.
Peter is often represented in
art holding keys, as the gatekeeper of Heaven.
—SHSBC Binder 31 Approved Glossary