Nigeria, June 29 -- Dear friends in Christ,

On the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul (29 June 2025), I bring you greetings and God's blessings!

Introduction

Friends in Christ, today we celebrate the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. As Nigerians celebrate Blessed Cyprian Tansi, and the Scots honour Saint Mary of Scotland and Saint John Ogilvie, we honour the twin apostles because they are pillars of the faith and our universal spiritual heroes. Despite their witnesses (Peter denying Jesus thrice and Paul persecuting the Church), Jesus chose the former as the first Pope, and the latter was called by God to become an apostle to the Gentiles. From the story of the persecution of Christians in the first reading to Paul's testimony abou...