The Keys of Heaven, also called Saint Peter's keys, refers to the metaphorical keys of the office of Saint Peter, the keys of Heaven, or the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. It is explicitly referenced in the Bible in Matthew 16:19.
According to Catholic teaching,[1]Jesus promised the keys to heaven to Saint Peter, empowering him to take binding actions.[2] In the Gospel of Matthew 16:19,[3] 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 and Eastern Orthodox paintings and other artwork as holding a key or a set of keys.
^Joyce, George (1911). "Chronological Lists of Popes". The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
^Joyce, George (1911). "The Pope". The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved 6 September 2017.