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Apostolic (APOSTOLICAL pertaining)

or APOSTOLICAL, pertaining or relating to the the apostles. Apostolic Church. - The Church in the time of the apostles, constituted accord, ing to their design. The name is also given to the four churches of Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, and is claimed by the Roman Catholic Church, and occasionally by the Episcopalians. from; one sent on some important mis sion; a messenger; a missionary. The name given, in the Christian Church, to the 12 men whom Jesus selected from His disciples as the best instructed in His doctrines, and the fittest instruments for the propagation of his religion. Their names were as follows: Simon Peter (Greek of Caiphas, the rock), and Andrew, his brother; James the greater, and John, his brother, who were sons of Zebedee; Philip of Bethsaida, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew; James, the son of Alpheus, commonly called James the less; Lebbeus, his brother, who was surnamed Thaddeus, and was called Judas, or Jude; Simon the Canaan- to the ceremonies and discipline of the ite, and Judas Iscariot. Of this num- Church.

Apostolic Constitutions and Canons.- A collection of regulations attributed to the apostles, but generally 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 ber, Simon Peter, John, James the Apostolic Delegate. - A permanent repgreater, and Andrew were fisher-resentative of the Pope in a foreign men; and Matthew, a publican or taxgatherer. When the apostles were reduced to 11 by the suicide of Judas, who had betrayed Christ, they chose Matthias by lot, on the proposition of St. Peter.

Soon after, their number became 13, by the miraculous vocation of Saul, who, under the name of Paul, became one of the most zealous propagators of the 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. APOSTOLICS 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 profess themselves the successors of St. Peter, its founder. Apostolic Succession. -The uninterrupted succession 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 succession is essential grace may be communicated through his administrations. administrations.

TOLIC BRETHREN, the name given to certain sects who professed TOLIC BRETHREN, the name given the manners and practice of the apostles.

The last and most important of these sects was founded about 1260 by Gerhard footed, clothed in white, with long beard, disheveled hair, and bare heads, accompanied by women called spiritual sisters, begging, preaching and singing, throughout Italy, Switzerland, and France; announced the coming of the kingdom of heaven and of purer times; denounced nounced the coming of the kingdom of church; and inculcated the complete rethe papacy, and its corrupt and worldly erty, settled abode, marriage, etc. This society was formally abolished (1286) by Honorius IV. In 1300 Segarelli was erty, settled abode, marriage, etc. This society was formally abolished (1286) apostle appeared-Dolcino, a learned man of Milan. In self-defense they stationed themselves in fortified places whence they might resist attacks. After having devastated a large tract of country belonging to Milan they were subwhence they might resist attacks. After having devastated a large tract of country belonging to Milan they were subdued, A. D. 1307, by the troops of Bishop ward appeared in Lombardy and in the south of France as late as 1368.