The question arises from a remark of Cornelius a Lapide’s at the start of his commentary on the Letter to the Romans. He says that it was written in AD 58 (the editor amends this to AD 55), ‘when St Peter having left Rome at Claudius’s command had gone into Britain’. Does anyone know what the source for this might be?
* or Wales, I should add. Happy St David’s day!
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March 1, 2014 at 8:05 pm
I’ve never ever heard this before. Jesus, in the company of Joseph of Arimathea, before his public life began, yes; but St peter, never.
March 2, 2014 at 8:54 am
Conybeare’s “Roman Britain” records as follows:
“E. 5.–The Menology of the Greek Church (6th century) ascribes the
organization of the British Church to the visitation, not of St. Paul,
but of St. Peter in person.
[“Peter … cometh even unto Britain. Yea, there abode he
long, and many of the lawless folk did he draw to the Faith of
Christ … and many did he enlighten with the Word of Grace.
Churches, too, did he set up, and ordained bishops and priests
and deacons. And in the twelfth year of Caesar[392] came he
again unto Rome.”]
The ‘Acta Sanctorum’ also mentions this tradition (filtered through
Simeon Metaphrastes), and adds that St. Peter was in Britain during
Boadicea’s rebellion, when he incurred great danger.”
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12910/12910.txt
March 2, 2014 at 10:26 am
Fascinating! Many thanks.
March 16, 2014 at 4:27 pm
[…] owe this reference to Gregory the Eremite. It is Venantius Fortunatus writing about St Paul. Venantius was born about the year […]
April 24, 2014 at 4:26 am
There is also a tradition that St. Peter himself came and consecrated Westminster Abbey, as Sulcard recorded in his history of the abbey.