Originally named Simon, the leader of the Apostles who followed Jesus Christ. Jesus named him Cephas (Aramaic, ‘rock’; Greek petra, ‘rock’) to signify his key role in establishing the early Christian Church. After the death of Jesus, Peter was the undisputed leader of the Church, preaching, and defending the new religious movement. He was the first to accept Gentiles (non-Jews) into the Church. It seems certain that Peter spent the last years of his life in Rome and was probably crucified during Nero’s persecution of 64. The papacy traces its origins back to Peter and the Roman Catholic Church identifies him as the founder and first bishop of the church of Rome.