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Apostolic \Ap`os*tol"ic\, Apostolical \Ap`os*tol"ic*al\, a. [L.
apostolicus, Gr. ?: cf. F. apostolique.]
1. Pertaining to an apostle, or to the apostles, their times,
or their peculiar spirit; as, an apostolical mission; the
apostolic age.

2. According to the doctrines of the apostles; delivered or
taught by the apostles; as, apostolic faith or practice.

3. Of or pertaining to the pope or the papacy; papal.

{Apostolical brief}. See under {Brief}.

{Apostolic canons}, a collection of rules and precepts
relating to the duty of Christians, and particularly to
the ceremonies and discipline of the church in the second
and third centuries.

{Apostolic church}, the Christian church; -- so called on
account of its apostolic foundation, doctrine, and order.
The churches of Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem
were called apostolic churches.

{Apostolic constitutions}, directions of a nature similar to
the apostolic canons, and perhaps compiled by the same
authors or author.

{Apostolic fathers}, early Christian writers, who were born
in the first century, and thus touched on the age of the
apostles. They were Polycarp, Clement, Ignatius, and
Hermas; to these Barnabas has sometimes been added.

{Apostolic king} (or {majesty}), a title granted by the pope
to the kings of Hungary on account of the extensive
propagation of Christianity by St. Stephen, the founder of
the royal line. It is now a title of the emperor of
Austria in right of the throne of Hungary.

{Apostolic see}, a see founded and governed by an apostle;
specifically, the Church of Rome; -- so called because, in
the Roman Catholic belief, the pope is the successor of
St. Peter, the prince of the apostles, and the only
apostle who has successors in the apostolic office.

{Apostolical succession}, the regular and uninterrupted
transmission of ministerial authority by a succession of
bishops from the apostles to any subsequent period.
--Hook.


Apostolic \Ap`os*tol"ic\, n. [L. apostolicus.] (Eccl. Hist.)
A member of one of certain ascetic sects which at various
times professed to imitate the practice of the apostles.