Mark the Evangelist and Clement of Rome.

Who succeeded Peter as bishop of Rome?

Linus of Rome and Evodius of Antioch.

Peter

c. 1 – c. 64 · b. Bethsaida · Bishop of Rome

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Chief of the Twelve Apostles. Fisherman from Bethsaida; preached at Pentecost, traveled widely, and traditionally martyred in Rome under Nero. Counted by Roman tradition as first bishop of Rome.

Why Peter matters

Peter is the apostle who keeps getting it wrong and keeps being put back in charge. He denies Jesus, gets rebuked for trying to keep him from the cross, then preaches the first Christian sermon at Pentecost and presides over the council that decided Gentiles didn't need to become Jews first. Whatever you think 'on this rock I will build my church' means, every later argument about church authority — papal, conciliar, episcopal — runs through Peter. Tradition says he was crucified upside-down in Rome under Nero around AD 64. 1 Peter is short and worth reading: a fisherman writing to scattered, persecuted Christians about hope.

Chain to Jesus

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Common questions

Who was Peter?: Peter (1–64) — Chief of the Twelve Apostles. Fisherman from Bethsaida; preached at Pentecost, traveled widely, and traditionally martyred in Rome under Nero. Counted by Roman tradition as first bishop of Rome.
Who taught Peter?: Jesus of Nazareth.
Who did Peter teach?: Mark the Evangelist and Clement of Rome.
Who did Peter meet?: Paul of Tarsus.
Who did Peter oppose?: Paul of Tarsus.
Who did Peter succeed as bishop of Rome?: Jesus of Nazareth.
Who succeeded Peter as bishop of Rome?: Linus of Rome and Evodius of Antioch.

Sources for biography

Gospel of Matthew 16:13-19 primary
Acts of the Apostles 1-15 primary
1 Peter 1:1 primary
Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 2.25 primary
Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. 3.3.2 primary

documented connections(3)

taught by Jesus of Nazareth
Peter is called by Jesus and named chief of the Twelve in all four Gospels.
Gospel of Mark 1:16-18 · Gospel of Matthew 16:13-19
met (incoming) Paul of Tarsus
Paul visited Cephas in Jerusalem for fifteen days c. AD 36 (Gal 1:18). They later met at the Apostolic Council (Gal 2 / Acts 15).
Galatians 1:18; 2:1-10 · Acts of the Apostles 15
opposed (incoming) Paul of Tarsus
The Antioch incident: Paul publicly rebuked Peter for withdrawing from Gentile table fellowship under pressure from 'men from James' (Gal 2:11-14).
Galatians 2:11-14

tradition connections(5)

taught by (incoming) Mark the Evangelist
Papias (c. 110-130) reports Mark was Peter's interpreter and recorded Peter's preaching as the Gospel of Mark — but Papias' testimony itself survives only via Eusebius. 1 Peter 5:13 mentions 'Mark my son' but does not establish discipleship.
Papias in Eusebius HE 3.39.15 · 1 Peter 5:13 · Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. 3.1.1
succeeded in see (incoming) Linus of Rome
Irenaeus' succession list names Linus as the man to whom 'the apostles' (Peter and Paul) committed the Roman episcopate. Episcopal succession lists for 1st-c Rome were reconstructed by Irenaeus c. 180 (Adv. Haer. 3.3); not contemporaneously attested.
Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. 3.3.3 · Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 3.2
succeeded in see (incoming) Evodius of Antioch
Eusebius lists Evodius as first bishop of Antioch after Peter. Peter's actual episcopal tenure at Antioch is traditional rather than narrated in scripture.
Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 3.22
taught by (incoming) Clement of Rome
Tertullian (De Praesc. 32) says Clement was ordained by Peter. Origen and others identify him with the Clement of Phil 4:3. No first-person testimony survives — marked tradition per the brief.
Tertullian, De Praescriptione 32 · Jerome, De Viris Illustribus 15
succeeded in see Jesus of Nazareth
Roman Catholic tradition treats Peter as Christ's vicar / successor in pastoral leadership of the Church (Matt 16:18-19); not framed as episcopal succession in the New Testament itself.
Gospel of Matthew 16:18-19 · Gospel of John 21:15-17

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