St. Peter the Apostle (c.1 to c.67)

   "I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."   (Matthew 16:17-20)

   Since I've visited St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City three times in my life, the final resting place of St. Peter the Apostle, I like to think it increases my chances of getting into Heaven since he holds the keys. Therefore, symbolically, I consider him the most appropriate saint to conclude my blog with.
   St. Peter the Apostle was born Simon in Bethsaida c.1. He was a fisherman by trade and a disciple of Jesus who renamed him Peter meaning "rock" since he would be the foundation on which the church would be built. His brother was St. Andrew the Apostle.
  Tradition says St. Peter the Apostle caught so many fish that he fell down in front of Jesus who told him not to be afraid because "from now on you will be catching men."
   To Roman Catholics, St. Peter the Apostle was the first Bishop of Rome, Italy and first Pope from c.30 to c.64. He was with Jesus during the Transfiguration, the Last Supper, and the Passion. And, the Risen Christ appeared to him first.
  When St. Peter the Apostle was crucified c.67 in Rome, he asked that it be done head downward because he felt he was not worthy of the same death as Jesus. His feast day is celebrated with St. Paul the Apostle on June 29 as the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.

St. Andrew the Apostle (1st century)

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
"Come, follow me," Jesus said. "and I will make you fishers of men."
At once they left.
(St. Mark 1:17)

Being a double Pisces, with my sun and moon in that sign (like Michelangelo and Blessed Jacinta Marto), I love magical, mystical, watery things. So when I saw The Legend of Fairy Melusine: An Opera in Progress by Steven Jobe, last evening, I didn't want it to end.
In European folklore, Melusine is a woman who is part serpent or fish and lives around springs or rivers. She falls in love with a mortal named Rainmondin. The story was based on the version by Jean d'Arras.
The voices of Melusine and her sisters, Palatine and Melior, were exquisite and I was entranced by the puppetry. But, this isn't an opera review. It is to say that opera doesn't have to be stuffy. It can bring enchantment to our lives in unexpected ways.
St. Andrew the Apostle is the patron saint of singers. He was born in Bethsaida in the first century. He was a fisherman who was a disciple of St. John the Baptist before realizing that Jesus was the son of God.
St. Andrew the Apostle is said to be one of the disciples closest to Jesus. He preached throughout the Ukraine, Russia, and Romania and is also a patron saint of those places.
When St. Andrew the Apostle was martyred by crucifixion, his request to be bound to the Cross (not nailed because he felt he didn't deserve a death like Jesus) was granted. Some of St. Andrew the Apostle's relics, including his head, are kept at his cathedral in Amalfi, Italy. His feast day is Nov. 30.