According to the online Investopedia:

The Peter Principle is an observation that the tendency in most organizational  hierarchies, such as that of a corporation, is for every employee to rise in the hierarchy through promotion until they reach the levels of their respective incompetence. The Peter Principle is based on the logical idea that competent employees will continue to be promoted, but at some point will be promoted into positions for which they are incompetent, and they will then remain in those positions because of the fact that they do not demonstrate any further competence that would get them recognized for additional promotion. According to the Peter Principle, every position in a given hierarchy will eventually be filled by employees who are incompetent to fulfill the job duties of their respective positions.

Well, today’s saint–aptly named Peter–demonstrated both the truth of the Peter Principle’s tendencies but then he went beyond and demonstrated that which makes him worthy of emulation–more than seven centuries after his death.

You see, Peter spent much of his life as a hermit, as an austere pursuer of the contemplative life, as a man of courage and scruples and goodness and virtue. And he wasn’t one of those “go live in a cabin in the woods” hermits, either–he dug a hole in the ground with just a little opening, and couldn’t even stand up or even lie down comfortably in his cell/hole.

As seemed to have happened again and again, Peter ended up as yet another hermit who gained a word-of-mouth reputation, and people came from far and wide seeking spiritual direction and guidance from him. Peter felt he was unable and unworthy to advise anyone, given that he lived in a hole in the ground (literally). But he was prevailed upon to take care for the souls of at least some of the most fervent petitioners.

To cut to the chase, while Peter was in his hole, a pope died. It happens. And over two years came and went without any election. Very rare. There was no agreement, no consensus, no majority, no conclave that could identify anyone to be the new pope. So somehow the idea of a very dark horse candidate surfaced–this Peter! No one had anything negative to say about him (he never had done anything against anyone, never had cut deals, never had politicked at anyone’s expense) and he seemed to them acceptable (and very possibly many thought they could influence this babe in the hole-in-the-woods).

Peter said “No” and he went so far as to dig himself out of the ground and try to run away. But that was at a time when kings and princes and very powerful people with fast horses had a lot vested in filling the Papal See, and they would not accept “No” from Peter (some grimy guy they plucked from a hole in the ground!). They prevailed upon him (euphemistically stated) and took him thither and made him Pope!

Not surprisingly, Peter was TERRIBLE at his job!! He had NO idea how to delegate, whom to delegate, how to assuage, how to command, when to act, when not to act, what to say, how to please constituencies, how to rule. In short, he was a mess. For a time, Peter tried to deal with this misery by building a small wooden shed within the papal courts (!!) that he went inside to live, but that proved utterly impracticable for a pope.

Here’s the cool thing: After four months, Peter resigned. He recognized that he had risen in a hierarchy to a level of his utter incompetence AND that it would be a Terrible Idea to remain in that position. He quit. He would not be dissuaded. He divested himself of crook and miter and whatever else went with the job, apologized to everyone he could for making a mess of things, begged their pardon, and betook himself back to his life as a hermit.

Glory Hallelujah! He did the right thing!!

I forbear to suggest Peter’s example to any other powerful political or religious personages, but do advise contemplation of this incredible saint’s life and choices.