What is Apostolic Succession?

Apostolic Succession is the unbroken chain of ordination linking every Catholic bishop back to the original twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus Christ. When Jesus told Peter, 'You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church' (Matthew 16:18), and gave the apostles authority to bind and loose (Matthew 18:18), He established a leadership structure intended to continue through history. The apostles ordained successors by the laying on of hands (2 Timothy 1:6, Acts 14:23), and those successors ordained others, creating an unbroken line of transmission down to the present day. This is not merely a historical or institutional claim but a theological one: through apostolic succession, the sacraments — especially the Eucharist and Holy Orders — are validly celebrated. The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches maintain apostolic succession. Most Protestant communities do not claim it, which is why the Catholic Church does not recognize the validity of their ordinations or Eucharistic celebrations. Apostolic succession ensures fidelity to the faith handed down from the apostles.