St. Peter is considered the leader of the first twelve apostles of Jesus Christ and the founder, along with the Apostle Paul, of the historic Church of Rome. His brother, St. Andrew, was the first-called among the first twelve apostles of Jesus Christ and the founder of the Church of Constantinople, also known as the New Rome.

Saints Peter and Andrew were fishermen from Galilee and their direct spiritual descendants today, in a long line of apostolic succession over two thousand years, are Pope Francis (Bishop of Rome) and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew (Bishop of Constantinople).

The patronal feast days of the churches instituted by the two early disciples are June 29th for the Church of Rome and November 30th for the Church of Constantinople.

The first bishop installed in Rome (in the year 64AD) by St. Peter was Linus. The first bishop installed in Byzantium, later renamed Constantinople, was Stachys (in the year 38AD).

It is, therefore, an event of immense spiritual and theological importance that the two contemporary successors of these early apostles and current leaders of these ancient churches will meet on May 25, 2014, in the Holy Land, the site of the historical roots and very foundation of Christianity.