The Embracing of Peter and Paul beeswax icon

The holy monastery of Karakallou was founded in the Χ century and is dedicated to the first century apostles Peter and Paul (June 29). There are various versions of its founding. It was probably built by the monk Nikolaos Karakallas. In the library of the monastery 42 parchment codices of the IX-XIV centuries are preserved. The parchment scroll containing the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is of particular value. On December 30, the monastery also celebrates the memory of the Venerable Martyr Gideon of Karakallou.

The embrace of the two holy apostles expresses the ecumenical nature of the Church. They served the cause of Christ in different ways. Paul, because of the education he received in his youth, was able to communicate with Gentiles in the places of his missionary journeys and preach the gospel to them. But first of all, he addressed the Jews of the synagogue to announce the coming of the Messiah.

Peter communicated mainly with his fellow Jews, although he also performed miracles with Gentiles. The controversy between the two apostles over the treatment of Gentiles and their acceptance into the church of Christ is well known.

In the end, however, reconciliation, love, and self-sacrifice for the cause of the Lord has prevailed. This is why the two apostles, also addressing the believers observing them, express the brotherly love that unites them as disciples of Christ. The scene of the embrace of the apostles can refer both to their historical encounter in Rome and to the symbolic representation of the universality of the Church of Christ, which embraces every person in the world.