Statue of Saint Peter in Saint Peter's Square | Wikimedia Commons

The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee on Feb. 22 celebrated the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, which honors Saint Peter as the rock of the Church.

"Today is the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, the first bishop of Rom," the Diocese recently said on Facebook. " This feast reminds us of the significance of the ministry of St.  Peter and the succession of popes who followed in his footsteps. St. Peter, please pray for us!"

The feast celebrates "Christ’s choosing Peter to sit in his place as the servant-authority of the whole Church," Franciscan Media said on its website. 

The feast of the Chair of Saint Peter is an opportunity to honor not only Saint Peter, but also the role of the Pope, who has led the Church for 2,000 years. According to Simply Catholic: "In Rome’s St. Peter’s Basilica, there is a chair, enshrined in the sumptuous Altar of the Chair of St. Peter by the great architect Bernini, but it is a symbol representing the 2,000-year-old papacy and unity the Pope continues to bring to Catholics around the world. Without such unity the Church would splinter into numerous sects and divisions."

Saint Peter is considered the first Pope of the Catholic Church, St. Peter's Basilica said on its website. Peter was a close friend to Jesus and one of his 12 apostles. After Jesus's death and resurrection, Peter traveled to preach and share Jesus's teachings, gaining a following. He was eventually crucified during the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero, but Peter asked to be crucified upside down, because he didn't consider himself worthy to die in the same manner as Jesus had. Every Pope is considered a successor of Saint Peter.