The Chief Apostle in Rome

In the Rome Temple dedication today, President Nelson said, “In this ancient and great city that has stood since biblical times — in this historic nation of Italy — we acknowledge the ministry of two of Thy Son’s early Apostles, Peter and Paul, who once blessed this land with their labors. May the influence of their abiding testimony of Jesus Christ continue to be felt among the vital values of this great country.”  I am familiar somewhat with the references in the New Testament to the apostle Paul in Rome, and of course he wrote a whole epistle to the Romans.  The last chapters of the book of Acts records Paul’s journey towards Rome as a prisoner and tells how he was there for two years (Acts 28:30).  It is generally believed that Paul was killed in Rome, and the Bible Dictionary suggests that this took place around A.D. 65.  But what do we know about Peter going to and preaching in Rome?

               Unlike for Paul, there is nothing conclusive in the New Testament that Peter ever went to Rome.  In fact, this is apparently a contentious issue for some in the debate about the legitimacy of the papacy since for Catholics, Peter was the first pope.  So him having been to Rome, the future center of the papacy, provides some kind of legitimacy to the argument that Peter was the head of the Catholic Church.  For Latter-day Saints I don’t think there is really anything significant riding on the question about Peter being to Rome, but of course we want to understand everything we can about the chief apostle in the meridian of times.  Peter did speak of being in “Babylon” in these terms in his epistle: “The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you,” clearly suggesting that he was indeed there with that church in “Babylon.”  The Bible Dictionary suggests that this may have actually been Rome: “From his epistle we learn (1 Pet. 5:13) that he worked in Babylon (which may be the well-known city on the Euphrates, or more likely is a disguised name for Rome).”  Many early Christian sources also confirm that Peter was in Rome.  One of these goes back to as early as A.D. 110 in which “Ignatius of Antioch remarked that he could not command the Roman Christians the way Peter and Paul once did, such a comment making sense only if Peter had been a leader, if not the leader, of the church in Rome.”  Many sources confirm that Peter died in Rome, and our Bible Dictionary suggests that he was crucified there around A.D. 64-65.  John recorded a discussion between the Resurrected Lord and Peter in which the death of Peter was alluded to.  The Savior said to Peter, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.”  John then commented, “This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God” (John 21:18-19).  Tradition says that Peter was indeed crucified upside down in Rome, not considering himself worthy to die in the same way as the Savior. 

               Whether Peter the Apostle indeed went to Rome in the meridian of time is of far less importance than to know that his testimony is true which he gave to the Savior: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16).  And we testify that no matter whether the chief apostle anciently actually went to Rome, there are living apostles, including the chief apostle, who have gone to Rome in our day, this weekend.  We declare that President Russell M. Nelson holds the same priesthood keys that Peter of old did, and that he is just as powerful a witness of Jesus Christ today as Peter was then.  His testimony to the world now, like Peter’s of old, declares the divinity of the Savior: “We are followers of Jesus Christ. The most important truth the Holy Ghost will ever witness to you is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. He lives! He is our Advocate with the Father, our Exemplar, and our Redeemer….  We commemorate His atoning sacrifice, His literal Resurrection, and His divinity.”