Augustin Sokolovski
On July 12, those Orthodox Churches that adhere to the Julian calendar celebrate the memory of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Orthodox Tradition calls them the Holy Glorious and All-Praised Leaders of the Apostles. This emphasizes the most important contribution of each of them to the spread of primitive Christianity.
Like the celebrations in honor of the Circumcision of the Lord, the Nativity, and the Beheading of the Baptist John, and, in the Russian tradition, the Protection of the Virgin Mary, the day of Peter and Paul belongs to the so-called five Great Feasts of the liturgical year in the Orthodox Church.
At the same time, unlike the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist, neither Peter nor Paul were relatives of the Lord. Mary gave birth to the Savior, and John foretold His Coming and baptized Him. In this sense, the biographies of the Apostles were not directly related to the dogma of the Incarnation. However, with their calling and, most importantly, preaching, they continued the Cause of God on earth.
The apostles Peter and Paul are mentioned in Scripture. Each of them, Peter during His earthly life, Paul after His Ascension, and Pentecost, was called by the Lord. Peter and Paul preached the gospel, left behind sacred texts, and ended their lives in martyrdom for Christ.
Peter stood at the head of the apostolic community in the first decades of its existence, while Paul became the greatest, or, as it is customary to say in modern language, the most successful missionary in the history of Christianity of all time.
It is surprising and paradoxical that despite the incredible development of the means of communication and communication in modern times, no one has succeeded, and no one will succeed in repeating the fruits of Paul's labors. Grace is true communication of man and God in Jesus Christ. Only grace can truly heal any infirmities, make up for shortcomings and promote the spread of the Christian faith.