Keys of Heaven

File:Emblem of the Papacy SE.svg used by the Catholic Church]]

The Keys of Heaven, also called Saint Peter's keys, refers to the metaphorical keys of the office of Saint Peter, the keys of the Gates of Heaven, or the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. It is explicitly referenced in the Bible in Matthew 16:19.

In Catholicism

File:Pope-peter pprubens.jpg depicted (by Peter Paul Rubens) holding the Keys of Heaven – Museo del Prado]]

According to Catholic teaching,{{cite web|title=The episcopal college and its head, the Pope (para 881)|url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p4.htm|work=Catechism of the Catholic Church|publisher=Vatican Archives}} Jesus promised the keys to heaven to Saint Peter, empowering him to take binding actions.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OT33-JOkEr4C|title=The Routledge Companion to the Christian Church|date=30 January 2008|isbn=978-0415374200|editor1-last=Mannion|editor1-first=Gerard|page=235|publisher=Routledge |editor2-last=Mudge|editor2-first=Lewis S.|url-access=subscription}} In the Gospel of Matthew 16:19,{{bibleverse|Matthew|16:19|ESV}} Jesus says to Peter, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on Earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on Earth shall be loosed in heaven." Saint Peter is often depicted in Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox paintings and other artwork as holding a key or a set of keys.

The keys of heaven or keys of Saint Peter are seen as a symbol of papal authority and are seen on papal coats of arms (those of individual popes) and those of the Holy See and Vatican City State: "Behold he [Peter] received the keys of the kingdom of heaven, the power of binding and loosing is committed to him, the care of the whole Church and its government is given to him".{{cite encyclopedia| url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08631b.htm| last=Joyce| first=George| title=Power of the Keys| encyclopedia=The Catholic Encyclopedia| volume=8| location=New York| publisher=Robert Appleton Company| year=1911| access-date=6 September 2017}}

= Biblical sources =

Bible verses associated with Peter{{cite encyclopedia| url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272a.htm| last=Joyce| first=George| title=Chronological Lists of Popes| encyclopedia=The Catholic Encyclopedia| volume=12| location=New York| publisher=Robert Appleton Company| year=1911| access-date=6 September 2017}}{{cite encyclopedia| url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12260a.htm| last=Joyce| first=George| title=The Pope| encyclopedia=The Catholic Encyclopedia| volume=12| location=New York| publisher=Robert Appleton Company| year=1911| access-date=6 September 2017}} and his position of authority include:

Isaiah 22:20–23;
Matthew 10:2;
Matthew 16:18–19;
Luke 22:32;
John 21:17;
Acts 2:14;
Acts 10:46; and
Galatians 1:18.

Bible verses associated with the transfer of powers from pope to pope include:

Acts 1:20; 6:6; 13:3; 8:18; 9:17;
1 Timothy 4:14; 5:22;
2 Timothy 1:6

File:Patriarchal Emblem of Syriac Orthodox Church.svg used by the Syriac Orthodox Church.]]

Islam

In Islam, the concept of the keys of heaven exists too, but purely as a sign of God’s sole authority: the Qur’an clearly states that the keys of the heavens and the earth belong to God alone (Surah 39:63; 42:12), meaning only He decides who enters Paradise. This directly contrasts with Matthew 16:19, where Jesus tells Peter he holds the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Greek: κλεῖδας, kleidas; Syriac: ܩܠܝܕܐ, qleeda), implying the church’s authority over salvation. Notably, the Qur’an uses the rare word maqāleed (مَقَالِيدُ) for keys here—rather than the more common mafātih—and only in connection with heaven and earth, which is a deliberate echo of the Gospel’s wording to assert that no human or institution can control entry to Paradise: that power belongs to God alone.“Introduction to Intertextuality.” Al-Mu‘allaqāt (Substack). Accessed June 21, 2025. https://almuallaqat.substack.com/p/introduction-to-intertextuality.