In the apse of the Basilica of St Peter in Rome, there is a huge bronze chair which is the monument to the Chair of St Peter, a work of Bernini. It is a symbol of the special mission of Peter and his successors to tend Christ's flock, the Church, keeping it united in faith and in charity. This particular chair is less an emphasis on the archaeological authenticity of the chair than on its spiritual significance. On top of that, there is the spiritual authority that this chair represents. It is a perduring symbol of the authority of service, to safeguard and transmit the teachings of Christ.

From the first Letter of Peter, we hear of the role of leaders as shepherds watching over the flock that God has entrusted to them, not as dictators, but by leading by example. Ultimately, as the psalm today emphasises, the Lord is the eternal shepherd on whom all leaders based their authority.

In the Gospel of Matthew, we listen to Jesus appointing Peter as the rock on which the Church is built. The trust that Jesus has in Peter is itself transformative. Furthermore, Jesus gives the keys of the kingdom of heaven to Peter. Peter, as the first among equals of the Apostles, is the spiritual leader of the Church, a shepherd after the heart of Christ, and he has the authority to teach from Christ himself. And this mission is represented figuratively in today's feast as a chair.