Saint Peter excelled all the other apostles in his faith. His martyrdom has been written by Marcellus, Pope Linus, Hegesippus, and Pope Leo. The name of Peter was first given him by Jesus when He said: 'Thou shalt be called Cephas, which is interpreted Peter.' Thereafter He gave him the promised name, as we read in Saint Mark: 'And to Simon he gave the name of Peter.' For the third time He confirmed the name upon him when He said: 'Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church.' In this we should note that he had the adornment of good conduct, the gifts of virtue, and an overflowing of tears: for the dove does not sing but it mourns. He was called Simon Johanna, which means beauty of the Lord Simon Johannis, which means he to whom it is given and thirdly, Simon Bariona, the son of the dove. He knew the divinity of Christ when he said: 'Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.' He took off from the feet of his desires the works of death and all earthly things, when he said: 'Behold we have left all things, and have followed thee.' He loosens the fetters of our sins with the keys which he received from the Lord. Thirdly, he was called Peter, which means the knowing one, or one who takes off his shoes, or one who loosens. He was a head in that he was the chief of the disciples, a rock in the constancy of his suffering, and one whose mouth resounds in his untiring preaching. Again, he was called Cephas which means head, or rock, or one whose mouth resounds. He was obedient, for when Christ called him he answered the first call he mourned, for when he denied Christ he went out and wept bitterly He was the son of the dove, because he was diligent in serving God in simplicity. Simon is translated as he who obeys, or he who mourns Bariona, however, means son of the dove, for in Syrian bar means son, and in Hebrew iona means dove.

Death of simon the sorcerer