Every June 29, the festival of San Pedro and Saint Paul, apostles and witnesses of the life and work of Jesus. According to the Catholic Liturgy, both are the two pillars of the Christian faith, because they gave their lives for the son of God and thanks to them Christianity spread throughout the world.
The bodies of St. Peter and St. Paul were buried together for decades until they had their own tombs. This gave rise to the celebration double of both apostles that is commemorated on June 29.
Saint Pedro He was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. His name was Simon, but Jesus called him Cephas which means “stone” and told him that he would be the rock on which he would build his Church. He promised Christ that he would never deny him, just hours before denying him three times before being condemned to crucifixion.
Jesus, after being resurrected, asked him three times if he loved him and three times he answered yes. Then, Jesus confirmed his mission as Supreme Head of the Church. Pedro He was the first Pope of the Catholic Church. Thanks to him, Rome became the center of Christianity.
In 64, there was a very large fire in the Italian capital that could not be put out. There was a rumor that it was the Emperor Nero who had provoked it. Nero realized that his throne was in danger and accused the Christians of having started the fire. During this persecution, which lasted three years, he was crucified Pedro by order of the emperor.
Saint Paul, whose Hebrew name was Saul, was a Jew by race, a Greek by education, and a Roman citizen. He dedicated himself to fighting Christians. The leaders of the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem commissioned him to arrest the Christians in the city of Damascus, where Jesus appeared to him and said: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
With this phrase, Saul understood that he was truly the Son of God. After this event, Paul became blind and spent three days without eating or drinking. In Damascus, Saul regained his sight and was baptized. After his conversion, Saul changed his name to Paul and in Jerusalem he placed himself at the service of St. PedroHe carried the Gospel throughout the Mediterranean world.
Like Peter, he was martyred in Rome. His head was cut off with a sword because the law stated that, as Roman citizens, they could not die on a cross, which was a death reserved for slaves.
The origin of bonfires
Every June 29, after having collected and carried all kinds of fuel elements for weeks, a large bonfire in honor of both apostles as part of a traditional religious celebration.
The so-called “bonfire” is a religious rite within the framework of the festival of Saint Pedro and St. Paul, the first Pope and the great Apostle of the Gentiles; both executed around the year 67, by order of Nero.
In popular tradition, the symbolism of fire has a religious background: it atones for the demonism of witches, drives away evil spirits, and commemorates sacred events.
Generally, it is usually carried out near natural events such as the change of season, the solstices and the equinoxes. According to popular pagan belief, communication between the profane world and the sacred world occurs on those nights.
The purifying meaning attributed to fire, with the winter rite the bonfire of Saint John which falls on June 24. Days later, a similar rite is performed for the martyrdom of the saints Pedro and Paul, alluding to the sacrifice at the stake.
In the rite of bonfire A “doll” in human form was always included as a symbol of the suffering of innocent martyrs or as collective atonement.
This pagan and religious festival is still in force and is a tradition that takes place during the week between June 24 and 29.
