In the Russian Orthodox tradition, Macarius of Unzha's Miracle of the Moose is said to have occurred during the Apostles' Fast and the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul that followed it.[5]
Although the Canadian Doukhobors, a Spiritual Christian denomination, do not venerate saints, the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul has traditionally been a day of celebration for them. Since 1895, it has acquired a new significance as a commemoration of the "Burning of the Arms", the Doukhobors' destruction of their weapons, as a symbol of their refusal to participate in government-sponsored killing.[7] It is celebrated now by their descendants as simply "Peter's Day" (Russian: Petro den.), sometimes referred to as the "Doukhobor Peace Day".[8][9]
In England, Scotland and Wales the feast is observed as a holy day of obligation while in the United States and Canada, it is not. The feast ceased being a Holy Day of Obligation in the United States in 1840.[13]
Because of the importance of Sts Peter and Paul to the Catholic Church, many Catholic-majority countries observe their feast day as a public holiday. The feast is observed in Rome because St. Paul and St. Peter are patron saints of the Eternal City.[16] In the Apulia region of southeastern Italy, the feast was associated with the Tarantella dance since the Middle Ages.[17]
InMalta the solemnity is a public holiday and in Maltese is known as L-Imnarja. It is celebrated with festivals the preceding weekend in Nadur Gozo and as well as Buskett GardensinRabat.[18]
It is also a public holiday of the Canton of Ticino, Switzerland, as well as parts of the Swiss cantons of Lucerne and Graubünden.[19] It is a public holiday in Peru[20] and in various municipalities of the Philippines.[citation needed]InOrmoc, festivals, bazaars, parades, and pageants are held annually on the feast day, as Peter and Paul are the city's patron saints.[21]
In 1577 Jan Rubens named his son Peter Paul, because he was born during the office of vespers of this day.[22]
^Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, Concessiones, n°. 20, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 4th edition, 2004, p. 67. ISBN88-209-2785-3. Latin quote: "Partialis indulgentia conceditur christifideli qui orationem Sancti Apostoli Petre et Paule devote recitaverit. 'Sancti Apostoli Petre et Paule, intercedite pro nobis. Protege, Domine, populum tuum; et Apostolorum tuorum Petri et Pauli patrocinio confidentem, perpetua defensione conserva. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.'"
^Anon (1968). Tarantism: St. Paul and the Spider, in Essays and Reviews form the Times Literary Supplement. London: Oxford University Press, pp. 172–183. Originally published in the Times Literary Supplement, 27 April 1967. pp. 173–174