apostolic succession

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noun Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, Anglican Church.

the unbroken line of succession beginning with the apostles and perpetuated through bishops, considered essential for orders and sacraments to be valid.

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Origin of apostolic succession

First recorded in 1830–40

Words nearby apostolic succession

apostolic age, Apostolic Church, apostolic delegate, Apostolic Fathers, Apostolic See, apostolic succession, Apostolos, apostrophe, apostrophize, apothecaries' measure, apothecaries' weight

How to use apostolic succession in a sentence

The kerfuffle began with a £200 bet, followed by several smaller bets in quick succession.
Could The Queen Abdicate on Christmas Day?|Tom Sykes|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When, in succession, he made Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), Psycho (1960), and The Birds (1963).
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“I was at first on a cot, and then in a succession of accommodations,” he says.
The Pastor Who Scandalized His Town|Lloyd Grove|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Two 20th-century phenomena, occurring in quick succession, are the culprits.
Scotland’s ‘Yes’ Campaign and the Myth of Scottish Equality|Noah Caldwell|September 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST

TR reinvigorated the office after a succession of grey presidents with his unself-conscious energy, idealism and determination.
From The Square Deal to The New Deal: The Overlapping Political Identities of TR and FDR|John Avlon|September 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And then several hours at Liszt's, where one succession of concertos, fantasias, and all sorts of tremendous things are played.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
This reading secures scarcely anything more than a succession of sights to the eye or sounds to the ear.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
The injured and indignant animal gave vent to a succession of eldritch screams.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
The attempt failed, and was followed by a rapid succession of miscellaneous thrusts and passes in bewildering variety.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
When you can play it eight times in succession without missing a note, I'll be satisfied.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay

British Dictionary definitions for apostolic succession

Apostolic succession

noun

the doctrine that the authority of Christian bishops derives from the Apostles through an unbroken line of consecration

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012