Now that is an interesting statement: "his cult originated very early in Rome". One would not use that to describe the church founded by the apostle Peter, but it would be fitting to use it to describe the followers of Simon Magus, who came to Rome during the reign of Claudius and had a 25 year bishopric. And since Vatican Hill was a pagan graveyard where sorcerers, magicians, soothsayers, and seers, like Simon Magus were buried, one would expect to find his body buried there --- not Peter's. Peter's bones are in an ossuary at Dominus Flevit on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem where you would expect them to be.
You wrote:
“Now that is an interesting statement: “his cult originated very early in Rome”. One would not use that to describe the church founded by the apostle Peter, but it would be fitting to use it to describe the followers of Simon Magus, who came to Rome during the reign of Claudius and had a 25 year bishopric.”
(sigh) The word “cult” is not used to describe the Church. It is used to describe the veneration of St. Peter. Every saint or martyr’s veneration can be referred to by this word: cult. It has no connection to the modern use of the word “cult” and no one should ever make the mistake you did and confuse a reference to the cult of a saint with a reference to the Church itself.
“And since Vatican Hill was a pagan graveyard where sorcerers, magicians, soothsayers, and seers, like Simon Magus were buried, one would expect to find his body buried there -— not Peter’s.”
Wrong again. I was in Rome in February and had the privilege of taking the Scavi tour. If you’ve never done it (and I am willing to bet money you haven’t), it is an amazing experience. Under St. Peter’s there is indeed a cemetary. It is a Christian one. But the Christians were not the first ones there. First it was a pagan cemetary. Later, Constantine turned it over to Christians (after the Roman pagans had a chance to retrieve the remains of their pagan ancestors to re-locate them elsewhere. Some of the tombs are largely intact. You can see how they were once pagan tombs, named after famous families, but were later taken over by Christian families who buried their loved ones there and left behind numerous Christian symbols. A priest I know (who was an artist and art historian before becoming a priest) gave tours there over the last year or so. The profusion of Christian symbols and wall writing was amazing.
“Peter’s bones are in an ossuary at Dominus Flevit on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem where you would expect them to be.”
Nope. I saw St. Peter’s bones. They are underneath St. Peter’s basilica right where they were always claimed to be. Even the wall writings give credence to that. You might want to read Walsh’s book on the bones of St. Peter.