Epistles which bear his name, and which are addressed to the Jews in Asia, and the Asiatic provinces in which he preached the Gospel.

We learn from Ecclesiastical History, that St. Peter preached the Gospel at Antioch; of which city he is stated by the most learned and eminent historians to have been the first bishop, and not of Rome, as is commonly believed, and as is asserted by Roman Catholics. He also preached to the Jews dispersed in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, as well as in Africa, and in parts of Europe; from which cause he is called in Holy Scripture, the "Apostle of the circumcision"." In the year a.d. 64, he settled at Rome, where he still preached Christianity chiefly to the Jews.

St. Peter suffered martyrdom at Rome, A.D. 68, during the first general persecution of the Christians by the Emperor Nero. After nine months' imprisonment,

7 Gal. ii. 8.

he was taken out, scourged, and then crucified; which manner of his death had been foretold by our Lord, when He "answered Peter, Whither I go, thou canst not follow Me now; but thou shalt follow Me afterwards;" and likewise "said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest; but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake He, signifying by what death he should glorify God"." We also learn from ancient Church history, that by St. Peter's own desire, he was crucified with his head downwards, considering himself as unworthy to suffer in the same posture in which his Lord had suffered for him.

St. Peter suffered martyrdom in the beginning of June, the same day as St. Paul; and in the Mamertine prison at Rome, is

8 John xiii. 36.

9 John xxi. 18, 19.

still shown the lower dungeon in which the two Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul, were confined by the order of the Emperor Nero, and in which the former worked miracles. A presbyter, named Marcellinus, embalmed his remains, which were interred in the Vatican, and over his grave a church was erected, which having been destroyed by the Emperor Heliogabalus, his remains were removed to the Appian. Way, two miles from Rome. About the year 250, Cornelius, the twentieth bishop of Rome, re-conveyed them to the Vatican, and Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor, caused the Church of St. Peter to be erected over the spot.

The present Church of St. Peter at Rome is the largest ever built, excepting the Temple of Solomon, and that of Herod at Jerusalem.

The Festival of St. Peter is on the 29th of June.

St. Peter is represented in Ecclesiastical

paintings, carrying in his hand a bunch of keys, in allusion to the words of our Lord, "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven';" and his likeness is traditional from very ancient times. He is usually represented as being robed in blue and yellow, the latter colour in allusion to his denial of our Lord; yellow being the colour used in all ancient Church paintings, as symbolical of treachery in any shape. For instance, Judas Iscariot is always represented as clothed entirely in yellow.

Collect for the Festival of St. Peter.

O Almighty God, who by Thy Son Jesus Christ didst give to Thy Apostle St. Peter many excellent gifts, and commandedst him earnestly to feed Thy flock; Make, we beseech Thee, all Bishops and Pastors diligently to preach Thy holy Word, and the people obediently to follow the same; that they may receive the crown

1 Matt. xvi. 19.

of everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ST. JAMES

THE AFOSTLE, SURNAMED "THE GREAT."

ST. JAMES the Great was the brother of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist', and was by occupation a fisherman'. He was the son of Zebedee, and of Salome'; which Salome was one of the women who are mentioned in Holy Scripture as having brought spices to the Sepulchre after the Crucifixion. St. James is especially mentioned in Holy Scripture with his brother St. John, as having been called by our Lord "Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder';" and also as having asked that they

2 Matt. x. 2. Mark iii. 17. Matt. iv. 19, 20; x. 2.

5 Matt. xxvii. 56. Mark xv. 40, 41. 6 Luke xxiii. 55, 56.

3 Mark i. 19.

7 Mark iii. 17.

C