Our Holy Church commemorates today the veneration of the honorable chains, by which Saint Peter the Apostle was held secure. We also celebrate the memory of New Hieromartyr Nicholas of Mytilini.
Saint Peter, “the stone of the Faith,” was arrested at the behest of Herod the Tetrarch and was thrown into prison.
His surveillance measures were so severe that, apart from the guards outside the prison gate, two soldiers were constantly next to him. The night before his trial and his conviction, while Christians were praying all night long, an angel of the Lord appeared, the Apostle’s chains miraculously fell off, the gates of the prison opened, and the imprisoned Apostle was released.
The faithful took this chain and kept it as a sacred relic and, thanks to the Holy Spirit, they became a source of healing and various miracles. For this reason, this day was established by the Church as the day of commemoration of the sufferings of Saint Peter and the day of veneration of the Precious Chain. In that way, the faithful honor the Apostle and receive his blessing thanks to their steadfast faith and forbearance.
Source: Church of Cyprus
