What did Jesus mean by giving St. Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven?

In the Gospel of Matthew (16:18–19), Jesus’ promise to give St. Peter the Apostle the "keys of the kingdom of heaven" is a central passage in Christian theology, particularly regarding the authority of the church.123

According to the Petrine theory, this gesture signifies that Jesus designated Peter as his representative on earth and the leader of the church. By stating that "whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven," Jesus is interpreted as bestowing upon Peter a primacy of jurisdiction—the authority to govern the community of the faithful.425

In Roman Catholicism, this event is foundational to the papacy, as it is believed that this authority was not limited to Peter but was passed on in perpetuity to his successors, the bishops of Rome. While interpretations of these verses vary among Christian denominations, the tradition remains a primary basis for the doctrine of apostolic succession.42