Like many churches in the area, Saints Peter and Paul has a cruciform shape; that is, its floor plan is shaped like a cross. It is made up of a nave (the long part of the cross, where the people sit), a transept (the cross piece, which extends only about six feet in either direction), and the apse (the head of the cross, the semi-circular sanctuary). So, in its most basic design, the building reminds us of its purpose.
The style of the church is Romanesque, in that most arches are round, and the building lacks exterior supports called flying butresses found in Gothic structures. The great open spaces above the pillars are made possible by "groined vaults". This means that the ceiling is made up of a number of intersecting arches. In the center part of the nave, these arches are all semi-circular, but over the aisles they take a pointed shape, reminiscent of hands folded in prayer. In the transept, the form of the ceiling is the barrel vault, meaning that is made up of only one arch. The pillars and windows all take one's eyes and mind heavenward.
The exterior walls are thickened, or buttressed, alongside the supporting pillars. These buttresses actually support the roof, and allow a relatively large amount of space to be used by the tall stained glass windows.
When we enter the church, we notice the door handles are made of crosses and swords. If we notice that the cross is upside down, we shouldn't be alarmed, because the cross portrayed is that of Peter, not Christ. The inverted cross is used as a symbol of Peter because he chose to die in that manner. The sword is the symbol of Paul, both because of his fervor in preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, but also because he was beheaded with a sword. These symbols of the patron saints are also used in the new stained glass window over the main door.
Of course, the most identifiable feature of the building is the steeple. The steeple makes the church visible for miles, especially to the west and north. The steeple holds the most powerful symbol of our Faith, the cross, for all to see.
(Right: Drawing of Saints Peter and Paul Church by Roscoe Misselhorn)
The height of the tower is important, too, to allow the sound of the church bells to carry. In an age before radio and television, and when windows were kept open in the warmer months, the bells tolled to inform people of the time of day, to call them to Mass, to tell of a death, or to ring out the Angelus.