frsimmons · @frsimmons
27th Jun 2014 from TwitLonger
@thecollectcall @beingholli @indybrendan - Here's some Bio from Fr. John-Julian on the common commemoriation of Peter and Paul
The tradition that Peter and Paul were martyred on the same day is probably the result , rather than the cause , of the common commemoration on June 29 (probably the date of a translation of their remains) , for that shared commemoration is very ancient , going back at least to the time of Constantine. In 258, when the Emperor Valerian began to desecrate Christian tombs, it is said that the remains of both Peter and Paul were clandestinely conveyed from their respective tombs to a special secret catacomb on the Appian Way, and between 1915 and 1922 extensive archeological excavations were undertaken to discover this catacomb. What appeared to be an empty tomb carved in rock was found, and close beside it the walls of a large room (built in about the year 250) were found. On the fragmentary remains of the plaster walls were discovered over eighty graffiti referring to the two saints, sometimes with Peter's name first, sometimes with Paul's. Many are almost illegible, but they include such things as these: "I, Tómius Coélius, made a feast here to the honor of Peter and Paul." "Because of a vow, Dalmátius promised a feast for these two." "Paul and Peter, make intercession for Victor." "Peter and Paul, do not forget Antónius Bássus." It is clear that a very popular cult had grown up around Saints Peter and Paul at this place , and it is likely that at least for some period of time in the third century this seems to have been the place of their interment.
In the late 1930' s archeological excavations were done under Saint Peter's basilica in Rome, and a tomb said to be that of Saint Peter seems to have been identified beyond a reasonable doubt, but the identification of the human remains in the tomb is, of course, technically impossible.
Julian OJN, Fr John (2013-11-11). Stars in a Dark World: Stories of the Saints and Holy Days of the Liturgy (Kindle Locations 8244-8255). . Kindle Edition.