Was Peter ever in Rome?
Peter was in Rome, and he died
there:
Fundamentalists charge that Peter could not have been the Bishop of Rome and
thus the first Pope, as the Bible does not say he was ever in Rome. The Bible,
however, does not deny that he was ever in Rome either. Let us examine early
Church writings, and touch on a bit of archaeology.
Peter was the first Bishop of Rome, and whoever has that position is the
Pope. His tomb was found under the altar of St. Peters Basilica in 1965. It is
plainly marked with his name and there are human remains within it. Peter did
say in 1Pet 5:13, "The Church which is at Babylon (Rome), chosen together
with you, greets you and so does my son Mark." Since the
Apostles were being persecuted, and the Romans were looking for them, they used
code words and Babylon was the code for Rome. Peter, therefore was writing from
Rome. In addition, Paul wrote Colossians from Rome, and indicates
Mark was with him there in Col 4:10.
Other early writings show that Peter was martyred in Rome by being crucified
upside down in 67 A.D.. Peter being in Rome was written about by many early
Church writers, some of whom are listed here...
1. St Irenaeus in 'AGAINST HERESIES': CHAP. I.--THE APOSTLES DID NOT COMMENCE TO
PREACH THE GOSPEL... 3. "...in their own dialect, while Peter and
Paul were preaching at Rome, and laying the foundations of the
Church."
2. St Irenaeus, CHAP. III.--A REFUTATION OF THE HERETICS, FROM THE FACT THAT, IN
THE VARIOUS CHURCHES, A PERPETUAL SUCCESSION OF BISHOPS WAS KEPT UP. 2.
"...the very ancient, and universally known Church founded and
organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul; as
also [by pointing out] the faith preached to men, which comes down to our time
by means of the successions of the bishops.
3. Tertullian, 'THE DEMURRER AGAINST THE HERETICS': CHAP.XXXII.--NONE OF THE
HERETICS CLAIM SUCCESSION FROM THE APOSTLES. 8. "...as the church of
Smyrna, which records that Polycarp was placed therein by John; as also the
church of Rome, which makes Clement to have been ordained in like manner
by Peter.
Who ordains priests? Bishops do. Clement was ordained by the Bishop of Rome,
Peter.
4. Lactantius, 'OF THE MANNER IN WHICH THE PERSECUTORS DIED: This letter is
addressed to Donatus. It not only shows that Peter was actually in Rome, but
that he died there also at the hands of Nero. CHAP. II. His apostles were at
that time eleven in number, to whom were added Matthias, in the room of the
traitor Judas, and afterwards Paul. Then were they dispersed throughout all the
earth to preach the Gospel, as the Lord their Master had commanded them; and
during twenty-five years, and until the beginning of the reign of the Emperor
Nero, they occupied themselves in laying the foundations of the Church in every
province and city. And while Nero reigned, the Apostle Peter came to
Rome, and, through the power of God committed unto him, wrought certain
miracles, and, by turning many to the true religion, built up a faithful
and steadfast temple unto the Lord. When Nero heard of those things, and
observed that not only in Rome, but in every other place, a great multitude
revolted daily from the worship of idols, and, condemning their old ways, went
over to the new religion, he, an execrable and pernicious tyrant, sprung forward
to raze the heavenly temple and destroy the true faith. He it was who first
persecuted the servants of God; he crucified Peter, and slew Paul:
nor did he escape with impunity; for God looked on the affliction of His people;
and therefore the tyrant, bereaved of authority, and precipitated from the
height of empire, suddenly disappeared, and even the burial-place of that
noxious wild beast was nowhere to be seen.
Other writings which show Peter having been in Rome...
5. Dionysius of Corinth in his letter to the 12th Pope Soter in 170 A.D.
6. Clement of Corinth in his letter to the Corinthians in 70 A.D.
7. Peter of Alexandria, in his work called 'Penance' in 311.
8. St Ignatius of Antioch, in his letter to the Romans, about 107.
I have presented eight early Church writings in this letter, and there are
many others to show that Peter was indeed in Rome, that he founded the Church
there, that he was the first Bishop of Rome, now called the Pope, and that he
died there...
See 'The Bones of St. Peter', by John Walsh.
See 'Catholicism and Fundamentalism', by Karl Keating, pg 204-205.
See 'Radio Replies', by Frs. Rumble and Carty, Vol I-370.
See the book 'Faith of the Early Fathers', by William A. Jurgens, 1970.
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