This celebration honours the dedication of two of Rome’s great churches: St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Both stand near places traditionally associated with the martyrdom and burial of the apostles whose names they bear.

Celebrating the two basilicas together also recalls the bond between Peter and Paul — very different men whose missions became central to the growth of the early Church. Their churches remain visible reminders of the faith they preached and the witness they gave in Rome.