Saint Raphael the Archangel please intercede on behalf of Nina’s son by and through the Holy Name and Precious Blood of Our Lord. Amen

Where does the text put Saint Peter “over” the other Apostles? (1) Scriptural Backing * Three Popes are mentioned in the Bible (Saint Peter in Matthew 16:16, Saint Linus in 2 Timothy 4:21, and Saint Clement in Philippians 4:3). **There is only one Pope as there was only one Israeli High Priest. Compare Psalm 110:4 with Hebrews 5:6. ***Saint Peter is mentioned in more instances in the Apostles than all of the other Apostles combined. Matthew 16:18 (Rock of the Church) Matthew 10:2 (Peter first among Apostles) Matthew 18:21 (Peter speaks for Apostles) Matthew 23:3 (Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.) Luke 5:1-10 (Peter’s boat chosen) Luke 22:32 (To Peter “Strengthen your brethren”) John 21:17 (To Peter “Feed my Sheep” Acts 2:14 (Peter leads Apostles) Acts 3:6-7 (Peter performs first Pentecostal Miracle) Acts 15:7 (Council of Jerusalem) Galatians 1:18-20 (Paul travels TO Peter the Pope) Matthew 16 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.  18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven. Matthew 10 2 The names of the twelve apostles[c] are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; 4 Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him John 1 “42 Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John;[a] you will be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).” Matthew 4 “18 As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.” Luke 6 “14 Simon, whom he named Peter,[f] and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew . . . “ Galatians 1  Then, after three years, I went to Jerusalem, to see Peter, and I tarried with him fifteen days. John 21 15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,[i] “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”[j] He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He then said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” [Jesus] said to him, “Feed my sheep.” (2) Patristics (A) Saint Clement of Alexandria “[T]he blessed Peter, the chosen, the preeminent, the first among the disciples, for whom alone with himself the Savior paid the tribute [Matt. 17:27], quickly grasped and understood their meaning. And what does he say? ‘Behold, we have left all and have followed you’ [Matt. 19:27; Mark 10:28]” (Who Is the Rich Man That Is Saved? 21:3–5 [A.D. 200]). (B) The Letter of Clement to James “Be it known to you, my lord, that Simon [Peter], who, for the sake of the true faith, and the most sure foundation of his doctrine, was set apart to be the foundation of the Church, and for this end was by Jesus himself, with his truthful mouth, named Peter, the first fruits of our Lord, the first of the apostles; to whom first the Father revealed the Son; whom the Christ, with good reason, blessed” (Letter of Clement to James 1 [A.D. 221]).