On July 12, the Orthodox Church solemnly celebrates the day of remembrance of the holy apostles Peter and Paul. In every Orthodox church, special solemn services are held on this holy day.
In the Orthodox church calendar, the great holidays, marked in red, stand out. The Day of Remembrance of the Holy Primate Apostles Peter and Paul is just one of the great celebrations of the Orthodox Church. It is believed that it was on June 29 (according to the Julian calendar, in the Gregorian calendar - July 12) that these saints were martyred in Rome. The Apostle Paul was beheaded with a sword, and Peter was crucified upside down. The exact date of the death of the apostles is unknown. Approximately, this is the 70s of the 1st century.
The holy apostles Peter and Paul are considered to be the supreme ones, since they labored most of all in spreading the Christian faith. They confessed Jesus Christ as God even until the very death, which they endured because of their refusal to worship pagan gods.
The feast in honor of the holy apostles began to be celebrated with special solemnity in the Roman Empire during the reign of Emperor Constantine, who made Christianity the state religion of an outstanding power. Since about 324, churches in honor of the holy apostles began to be erected in Constantinople and other cities of the empire. This was the beginning of special celebrations dedicated to the memory of the holy apostles.
On July 12, St. Peter's Lent ends for believers, which was timed to commemorate the two great disciples of Christ. On this holiday, many Christians try to confess and partake of the holy mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ. Only after the service do they break their fast with non-fast food. However, it is worth noting that if the feast of the holy apostles falls on Wednesday or Friday, then fasting is not canceled, but eating fish is allowed.
