Long ago, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, there lived a fisherman named Simon. He made his home in the little town of Capernaum, and every night he rowed out with his brother Andrew to cast their nets into the dark water. Simon had strong hands from years of hauling nets, a loud voice, and a heart that rushed ahead of him in everything he did. No one in that village could have guessed that this simple man would one day become the first pope in history.

One morning, after a whole night of work without catching a single fish, Simon stood on the beach washing his nets, tired to the bone. Just then Jesus of Nazareth came walking along the shore, surrounded by a crowd of people who wanted to hear him speak. Jesus stepped into Simon's boat, asked him to push out a little way from the sand, and taught the people from there, sitting in the boat. When he had finished, he turned to the fisherman.

— Take the boat out where the water is deep, and let down your nets.

Simon sighed. He knew that sea like the back of his hand, and he knew that in the daytime the fish slipped away to the bottom.

— Master, we worked all night long and caught nothing — he answered. — But since it is you who ask, I will let down the nets.

Down went the nets, and all at once they filled with so many fish that they began to tear. Simon had to wave to his partners in the other boat to come and help, and both boats grew so heavy with fish that they nearly sank. Amazed and frightened by such a wonder, he fell to his knees before Jesus, feeling far too small to stand near someone so holy. But Jesus spoke to him gently.

— Do not be afraid. From now on, you will be a fisher of people.

Simon pulled his boat up onto the beach, left his nets and everything he owned, and followed Jesus. Not long after, Jesus gave him a new name: Peter, which means rock. He did not yet understand why, but he kept that name close to his heart.

Peter followed Jesus along dusty roads, through villages and over mountains, and he saw things he had never dreamed of seeing. On one night of fierce wind, the disciples were crossing the sea in a boat that pitched and rolled, when they saw Jesus coming toward them, walking on top of the water. Peter, hasty as ever, called out before anyone else could speak.

— Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you across the water!

— Come — said Jesus.

Peter swung his leg over the side of the boat and stepped onto the water as if it were solid ground. He took one step, then another, with his eyes fixed on Jesus. But then he noticed the wind, looked down at the waves, felt afraid, and began to sink.

— Lord, save me!

In that very instant Jesus reached out his hand and caught him firmly.

— You of little faith, why did you doubt?

Another day, in the region of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples a question as they walked.

— And you, who do you say that I am?

The others fell silent, but Peter answered with all the certainty in his heart.

— You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Jesus stopped and looked at him.

— Blessed are you, Simon, for no one on earth revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to you: you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

Now the new name made sense. Just as a house needs a firm foundation, the Church of Jesus would have Peter as its first stone. On that day, Jesus chose him to be the shepherd of his whole flock.

But even a rock can tremble. At the Last Supper, Peter promised out loud that he would never abandon Jesus, even if he had to die with him. Jesus answered quietly that on that very night, before the rooster crowed, Peter would say three times that he did not know him.

Hours later, Jesus was arrested, and Peter followed at a distance all the way to the courtyard of the high priest's house. The night was cold, and he sat down by the fire among the servants. A servant girl looked closely at his face and said that this man had been with Jesus. Peter, afraid, answered that he did not know him. Someone else asked, and he denied it again. The third time, he swore he had never seen that man in his life.

And then a rooster crowed in the early morning. Jesus, being led past by the soldiers, turned and looked at Peter. He said not one word, but Peter remembered everything. He went out of that courtyard and wept bitterly, the saddest tears of his whole life.

Peter thought that everything was lost, but Jesus does not give up on his friends. After he rose from the dead, on one bright morning, Jesus waited for the disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee with fish roasting on the coals and warm bread. When they had finished eating, he called Peter aside to talk.

— Simon, do you love me?

— Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.

— Take care of my lambs.

Jesus asked a second time, and then a third: one question for each time Peter had denied him. And after every answer he made the same request: feed my sheep. Peter understood that he was forgiven, and that his mission still stood. The shepherd of Jesus' flock would be him, with all his mistakes and all his love.

On the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down like wind and fire upon the gathered disciples, it was Peter who threw open the doors and spoke to the crowds of Jerusalem. The man who had once trembled before a servant girl now announced Jesus without a trace of fear. On that single day, about three thousand people asked to be baptized. The fisher of people was casting his first great net.

Peter guided the Church for many years, traveled through many lands, and came at last to Rome, the heart of the empire. There he taught, baptized, and strengthened the Christians as their first pope. When the emperor Nero began to persecute the Church, Peter was taken prisoner. Tradition tells us that he was condemned to die on a cross, like his Master, and that he asked to be crucified upside down, because he did not feel worthy to die in the same way as Jesus.

Peter gave his life on the Vatican hill, and the Christians lovingly kept watch over the place where he was buried. Centuries later, on that very spot, the Basilica of Saint Peter was built, the most famous church in the world. To this day, every pope is called the successor of Peter, the fisherman who heard a call by the shore and said yes.