Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul

The first churches over the graves of Saint Peter on the Vatican Hill and Saint Paul on the road to Ostia were built in the 4th century under Emperor Constantine and his successors. The present Saint Peter's Basilica was consecrated by Pope Urban VIII on November 18, 1626. Saint Paul Outside the Walls was almost destroyed by fire in 1823, rebuilt with gifts from around the world, and consecrated by Pope Pius IX in 1854. This feast reminds us that our faith rests on the witness of the apostles, who gave their lives for Christ in Rome.

Millions of pilgrims visit these basilicas every year, and during Jubilee years they pass through their Holy Doors. Saint Paul's is known for its mosaic portraits of every pope since Saint Peter.