The mite of St. Peter is a collection of donations in which the faithful offer economic aid directly to the Pope for the maintenance of the Church and aid to the needy.
Newsdesk (June 27 15:29, Gaudium Press) Every year, on the occasion of the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, celebrated on June 29, the Church throughout the world holds the traditional collection of the Oblation of St. Peter.
What is the Peter’s pence?
The Saint Peter’s Pence Ball is the financial aid that the faithful offer to the Holy Father, as a sign of adherence to the concern of the Successor of Peter for the many needs of the universal Church and for works of charity towards the most needy.
The origin of Peter’s Pence
The origin of this practice goes back to the end of the 8th century, after the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons, who “felt so united to the Bishop of Rome that they decided to make an annual contribution to the Holy Father”.
At the time, this collection was called ‘Denarius Sancti Petri’ (Alms to St. Peter) and spread to other European countries. On August 5th, 1871, Pope Pius IX officially recognized and regularized the practice through the encyclical ‘Saepe Venerabilis’.
St. Peter’s Pence on the Internet
The Holy See has an official web page of the St. Peter’s Pence Ole for the faithful who wish to collaborate with the Church’s charitable works. On the site, available in Italian, English and Spanish, it is also possible to access messages from the Pope and make donations.
In addition, it is possible to follow the initiative through the social networks: Twitter and Instagram. On Twitter the accounts are in three languages: @obolus_it (in Italian), @obolus_es (in Spanish) and @obolus_en (in English). On Instagram there is only one account: obolus_va. (EPC)
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