Apostolic Constitutions and Canons

—A collection of regulations attributed to the apostles, but Fs supposed to be spurious.’ They appeared in the 4th century; are divided into eight books, and consist of rules and precepts relating to the duty of Christians, and particularly to the ceremonies and discipline of the Church. Apostolic Delegate— A permanent representative of the Pope in a foreign country. It is sometimes confounded with the word ablegate, the latter meaning a temporary representative of the Pope for some special function. Apostolic Fathers.— The Christian writers who, during any part of their lives, were contemporary with the apostles. There are five — Clement, Barnabas, Hermas, Ignatius, Polycarp. Apostolic King.—A title granted by the Pope to the Kings of Hungary, first conferred on St. Stephen, the founder of the royal line of Hungary, on account of what he accomplished in the spread of Christianity. Apostolic See—The see of the Popes or Bishops of Rome; so called because the Popes profe themselves the succe ors of St. Peter, its founder. Apostolic Succe ion.— The uninterrupted succe ion of bishops, and, through them, of priests and deacons (these three orders of ministers being called the apostolical orders), in the Church by regular ordination from the first apostles down to the present day. All Episcopal churches hold theoretically, and the Roman Catholic Church and many members of the English Church strictly, that such succe ion is e ential to the officiating priest, in order that grace may be communicated through his administrations.