Simon Peter — known simply as Peter — is one of the central figures of Christianity and one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. He is regarded as a founder of the Christian Church and, in the Catholic tradition, as the first pope of Rome.
Peter was born in Bethsaida, in what is now Israel, and worked as a fisherman. His name was Simon; Jesus gave him the name "Peter," from the Greek petros, "rock." He was among the first disciples, followed Jesus throughout his ministry, and witnessed its key moments, including the Transfiguration and the Last Supper. He is famous for his confession of Jesus as the Messiah, recorded in the Gospels, to which Jesus answered that on this rock he would build his Church.
Peter denied Jesus three times during his arrest; after the Resurrection Jesus restored him, asking, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?" (John 21:15). Peter then became the leader of the early Christian community in Jerusalem — preaching, working miracles, and among the first to open the doors of the Church to the Gentiles.
According to tradition, Peter died a martyr in Rome during the persecution of Christians under the emperor Nero, asking, so the story goes, to be crucified head downward, since he thought himself unworthy to die as Jesus had. He is venerated as a saint in most Christian traditions; the Catholic Church counts him the first pope, and the succession from him is held to be an essential part of Catholic doctrine. Simon Peter remains an emblem of faith, repentance, and leadership in Christianity, and his life and teaching continue to inspire believers the world over.