The Apostles Peter and Paul were two of the most important saints in the early Church. Jesus appointed Saint Peter as the rock upon which he would build the Church. Peter went on to lead the early Church after Jesus ascended into heaven and moved to Rome to become the first pope. Saint Paul was a Christian convert whose letters were so well-read that they became the largest number of books in the New Testament.
Below you will find two short biographies of these important saints. You can read them in class or copy and paste them into a word document.
Or just download the worksheets here:
Download the Saints Peter and Paul Worksheets >Both worksheets are included in The Religion Teacher’s Apostles Worksheet Collection, which has a worksheet for every one of the Apostles.
Saint Peter Biography & Reflection Questions
Feast Day: June 29
Saint Peter was one of the Twelve Apostles and the first Pope of the Catholic Church. He was a fisherman in Bethsaida in the region of Galilee when his brother Andrew invited him to meet Jesus the Messiah. He became a disciple when Jesus called Peter and Andrew to leave their work as fishermen and follow him to become “fishers of men.” Peter rose above the other Apostles as the leader of the Twelve when he showed the courage and wisdom to call Jesus the Messiah. Peter was born with the name Simon, but Jesus gave him the name Peter, which means “rock.” Jesus called him the rock upon which he would build the Church. Although Saint Peter abandoned Jesus during the crucifixion, he was filled with joy about Jesus’s Resurrection. He witnessed the Risen Jesus many times before his Ascension into heaven. At Pentecost, Peter and the other Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter stood up and gave the first of many speeches and began to work miracles as the leader of the early Church. Peter then travelled around the world preaching the Gospel until he ended his journey in Rome, the capital of the empire. There Peter was arrested along with many other Christians for not worshiping Roman gods. He was crucified upside-down and buried in the same place where Saint Peter’s Basilica stands today.
Saint Peter Reflection Questions
- Why did Jesus change Peter’s name from Simon?
- How could you become a leader in your church today?
- Despite his mistakes, Jesus selected Saint Peter to lead his Church. What are some of the reasons that make you feel unworthy to become a leader in the Church?
Saint Paul Biography & Reflection Questions
Feast Day: June 29
Saint Paul was originally known as Saul from Tarsus. Although he was one of the Twelve Apostles selected by Jesus, he considered himself to be an Apostle and he certainly made just as great an impact on the growth of the early Church as any of the Twelve. Saul was a Roman citizen and tentmaker by trade. He trained as a Pharisee to become an expert in Jewish Law. He was skeptical of Christians and arrested and killed them as enemies of the Jewish people until he encountered Jesus Christ himself in a vision on the road to Damascus. Paul was baptized and immediately began to preach the good news about Jesus Christ. He travelled throughout the Mediterranean starting Christian churches and writing letters back to Christian communities in Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Galatia, and more. These letters later became a large part of the New Testament. He was arrested many times by opponents of the Church including two years in prison in Rome. Saint Paul was martyred like Saint Peter and many other Christians during the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero. Saint Paul is often depicted holding a sword because he died by decapitation.
Saint Paul Reflection Questions
- Would you have had a hard time forgiving Saint Paul after he converted to Christianity? Why or why not?
- Why do you think Saint Paul’s letters were so important?
- If you could travel anywhere in the world on a missionary journey to tell people about Jesus and the Gospel, where would you go and why?
Download the Worksheets for St. Peter and St. Paul
In addition to being featured in The Religion Teacher’s Apostles Worksheet Collection, these worksheets are two of the 100+ saint biography worksheets only available to members of The Religion Teacher. Learn more about these resources here: The Religion Teacher’s Saints Worksheet Collection.
Download the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Worksheets:
Saint Peter and Saint Paul, pray for us!
