From fisherman to apostle
Born Simon, a fisherman from Bethsaida in Galilee, he was brought to Jesus by his brother Andrew and, according to the Gospels, given the name Kepha — rendered in Greek as Petros, "stone" — by Jesus himself. He became part of Jesus' inner circle of apostles alongside James and John, was the first apostle recorded as seeing Christ after the Ascension, and later presided over the assembly that chose Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot.
Rome and martyrdom
Tradition holds that Peter supported Paul's mission to include non-Jews in the Christian community, was later arrested under King Agrippa I, and eventually traveled to Rome, where he is said to have founded and led the early Christian community there under Nero's reign. Catholic tradition holds that he was executed by crucifixion, and that he asked to be crucified upside down, considering himself unworthy to die in the same manner as Christ. His traditional tomb lies beneath St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.