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This feast as been commemorated on November 18th since the eleventh century. Constantine built the first basilica over the tomb of St. Peter around 330 A.D. On November 18, 1626 the current basilica was consecrated.

The apse of St Paul's Basilica, with Christ in the centre,
St Luke and St Paul on our left, St Peter and St Andrew on our right

St. Paul's on the Via Ostiense was begun by Valentinian II in 386. This basilica took the place of the smaller one built by Constantine. The basilica built by Valentinian II was destroyed by fire in 1823. The new basilica was consecrated December 10, 1854 by Pope Pius IX who joined the celebration of these two basilicas together.

Both original basilicas were completed by Pope Sylvester and Siricius in the fourth century. These basilicas are two of the four major basilicas in Rome which include the basilica of St. John Lateran whose dedication is celebrated on November 9th and the basilica of St. Mary Major whose dedication is celebrated on August 5th.