St. Cyril of Jerusalem

“In the power of the same Holy Spirit, Peter, both the chief of the apostles and the keeper of the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, in the name of Christ healed Aeneas the paralytic at Lydda, which is now called Diospolis (Acts 9:32–34).” (Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, Patriarch , Father and Doctor of the Church, Catechetical Lectures [A.D. 350]).


“The Lord is loving toward men, swift to pardon but slow to punish. Let no man despair of his own salvation. Peter, the first and foremost of the apostles, denied the Lord three times before a little servant girl, but he repented and wept bitterly” (Catechetical Lectures 2:19 [A.D. 350]).


“[Simon Magus] so deceived the city of Rome that Claudius erected a statue of him. . . . While the error was extending itself, Peter and Paul arrived, a noble pair and the rulers of the Church, and they set the error aright. . . . [T]hey launched the weapon of their like-mindedness in prayer against the Magus, and struck him down to earth. It was marvelous enough, and yet no marvel at all, for Peter was there — he that carries about the keys of heaven [Matt. 16:19]” (ibid., 6:14).


“Our Lord Jesus Christ then became a man, but by the many He was not known. But wishing to teach that which was not known, having assembled the disciples, He asked, ‘Whom do men say that the Son of man is?’ …And all being silent (for it was beyond man to learn) Peter, the Foremost of the Apostles, the Chief Herald of the Church, not using the language of his own finding, nor persuaded by human reasoning, but having his mind enlightened by the Father, says to Him, ‘Thou art the Christ,’ not simply that, but ‘the Son of the living God.’” (Catech. xi. n. 3 [A.D. 363]).


“For Peter was there, who carrieth the keys of heaven.” (Catechetical Lectures A.D. 350).


“Peter, the chief and foremost leader of the Apostles, before a little maid thrice denied the Lord, but moved to penitence, he wept bitterly.” ( Catech ii. n. 15 [A.D. 363]).


“In the power of the same Holy Spirit, Peter, also the foremost of the Apostles and the key-bearer of the Kingdom of Heaven, healed Aeneas the paralytic in the name of Christ.” (Cyril, Catech. xviii. n. 27).


‘Let no one then despair of his own 1 salvation. Peter, the chiefest) and first of the apostles, before a little maid thrice denied the Lord ; but when remorse touched him he wept bitterly; and to weep shows a heartfelt penitence. And so he not only received forgiveness for the denial, but was spared his apostolic dignity.” (Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 2 [A.D. 348]).


“The error spreading, that goodly pair, Peter and Paul, the rulersof the Church, being present, set matters right again….(Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 6 [A.D. 348]).


“And when all were silent, for it was beyond man's reach to learn, Peter, the leader2 of the apostles, and chief herald of the Church, uttering no refinement of his own, nor persuaded by man's reasoning, but having his mind enlightened from the Father, says to him: "Thou art the Christ.” (Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 11 [A.D. 348]).