St. Gregory Nazianzen (The Theologian)
Rock of the Church, Foundation of the Church, St. Peter
“Truly nature has not given us two suns; but she has given us two Romes, as lights of the whole world, an old dominion and a new; the one differs from the other as the latter outshines the East and the former the West. But the beauty of the one balances exactly in the scales with the beauty of the other. Regarding the faith which they uphold, the ancient Rome has kept a straight course from of old, and still does so, uniting the whole West by sound teaching, as is just, since she presides over all and guards the universal divine harmony” (Carm De Vita Sua, [A.D. 329–390]).
“Peter, the unbreakable rock, to whom was allotted the Key.” (Carminum, Liber I, PG 37:559).
“… of all the disciples of Christ, all of whom were great and deserving of the choice, one is called rock and entrusted with the foundations of the Church…” (Oration 26)
