30 X 2025: Robert Wiśniewski (UW), Was St Peter a popular saint?

St. Peter, the patron saint of Rome, is mentioned tens of thousands of times in late antique literature across various regions of Christendom. Numerous churches were dedicated to him, inscriptions invoked his name, and liturgical prayers addressed him in different parts of the world. But how popular was his cult? To what extent was it a grassroots phenomenon rather than a top-down imposition? This paper seeks to evaluate the nature, scope, and development of St. Peter’s cult, both within the city of Rome and beyond, and to identify both its strengths and weaknesses.