c. 64-68 AD
Martyrdom of Peter and Paul in Rome
Historical Overview
The great Apostles Peter and Paul are martyred in Rome under Emperor Nero. Peter is crucified upside down; Paul is beheaded.
Deep Dive
The martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul in Rome cemented the city's status as the spiritual center of the Church. Following the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD, Emperor Nero falsely blamed the Christians, initiating a fierce persecution. St. Peter, the first Pope, was crucified. Deeming himself unworthy to die in the exact same manner as Christ, he requested to be crucified upside down. He was buried on the Vatican Hill. St. Paul, as a Roman citizen, was spared crucifixion and instead was beheaded at Tre Fontane. Their blood watered the seeds of the early Roman Church, and their tombs remain the foundational anchors of Catholicism.