The Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul

This memorial commemorates the dedication of the two great papal basilicas raised over the tombs of the chief apostles: St. Peter's on the Vatican Hill, standing above the burial place of the fisherman of Galilee to whom the Lord entrusted his flock, and St. Paul Outside the Walls, on the road to Ostia, above the resting place of the Apostle of the Gentiles. Both churches were first built in the age of the Emperor Constantine and were rebuilt and enlarged in later centuries into the magnificent basilicas known today.

In honoring the dedication of these sanctuaries the Church honors the two apostles themselves, Peter and Paul, who preached the Gospel in Rome and there consecrated the Church of the city by the witness of their martyrdom, becoming its founders and heavenly patrons. Kept on 18 November, the observance invites the faithful to give thanks for the apostolic foundation of the Church and for the enduring faith of Peter and Paul.