Understanding
Apostolic Succession

OUR LINK TO THE APOSTLES. OUR CONFIDENCE IN THE SACREMENTS.

What Is Apostolic Succession?

Apostolic succession is the unbroken transmission of ordained ministry from the apostles to the present day through the laying on of hands. It assures us that the Church’s sacramental life is not an invention, but a continuation of Christ’s own commissioning of the apostles.

In this tradition, bishops, priests, and deacons do not assume ministry for themselves—they receive it. Through prayer, sacrament, and historic continuity, they carry forward the mission of the Church founded by Christ.

In the Bulgarian Old Catholic Church, apostolic succession is not merely symbolic or claimed—it is sacramentally real, historically documented, and actively upheld.

Why Apostolic Succession Matters

From the earliest centuries, the Church recognised that the validity of the sacraments—especially the Eucharist, Baptism, and Holy Orders—depends on apostolic succession.³

For a valid ordination, three elements are required:

  • Proper Form – The historic prayers and rites of ordination
  • Proper Matter – The laying on of hands by a bishop in apostolic succession
  • Proper Intention – The desire and will to ordain for the service of Christ’s Church

The Bulgarian Old Catholic Church maintains all three without compromise. And, by extension, so do we.

This succession is not a rigid hierarchy, but a living connection to the Church’s origin. It ensures that the sacraments are not private rituals, but public, ecclesial acts offered in continuity with the Church established by Christ.⁴

Through apostolic succession, the Church does not simply preserve form—it transmits the very life of Christ through time. It guarantees that our worship, our ministry, and our sacraments are grounded not in personal charisma or institutional branding, but in the enduring faith of the apostles, passed down through the laying on of hands.

Our Episcopal Lineage

+Archbishop Svetoslav Vasilev

Archbishop Svetoslav was consecrated a bishop on 13 January 2019, in the St George Chapel, Negushevo near Sofia.

His succession includes both Old Catholic lines, and ultimately traces back through:

  • The Union of Utrecht (via Arnold Harris Mathew, Gerardus Gul, and Petrus Meindaerts)
  • The Roman Catholic line of Rebiba, preserved by Old Catholic co-consecrators
  • Independent Old Catholic churches with documented and sacramentally valid lines

This lineage is publicly documented and available for review.
Download: Apostolic Succession Line of Archbishop Svetoslav (PDF)

Recognition by Other Churches

The Roman Catholic Church, in Dominus Iesus (2000), states that churches maintaining apostolic succession and the Eucharist are “true particular Churches” ¹—even where full communion is lacking:

“…these Churches, although separated, have true sacraments and above all—by apostolic succession—the priesthood and the Eucharist.”
— Dominus Iesus, §17
Read the full document

Additionally, Canon 844 §§2–3 of the Roman Code of Canon Law permits Catholics to receive the Eucharist, Reconciliation, and Anointing of the Sick from non-Roman clergy who have valid orders and sacraments.²

How Apostolic Succession Shapes Our Ministry

Within the BOCC, apostolic succession is protected and exercised through clear structures:

  • Only bishops in apostolic succession may ordain
  • All ordinations require the Archbishop’s approval
  • Liturgical and canonical norms must be followed
  • Ordinations outside this succession are not recognised, though others are respected

Clergy of the Apostolic Old Catholic Mission are ordained within this structure—not privately, not self-appointed, and never without episcopal oversight.

Addressing Common Questions and Misconceptions

We recognise that questions around apostolic succession and sacramental validity may arise—especially from those unfamiliar with Old Catholicism or independent apostolic churches. Below are clear answers to common concerns.

  1. Is apostolic succession truly continuous?
    Yes. The succession we maintain is carefully documented and historically traceable through public records. Each ordination explicitly follows the ancient, recognised rites of the Church, clearly preserving continuity from the apostles.
  2. Does being “Old Catholic” affect apostolic validity?
    No. Being Old Catholic refers to our governance structure, theological approach, and independence from the Roman papacy—not to the validity of our orders or sacraments. Our lines are derived from both Old Catholic⁷ (Union of Utrecht) sources, historically recognised as fully valid even by the Roman Catholic Church itself.
  3. Can apostolic succession be lost or invalidated?
    Succession requires proper form, matter, and intent.⁵ Provided these are consistently observed—and they explicitly are within the Bulgarian Old Catholic Church—the succession cannot be arbitrarily invalidated. Differences in theology, jurisdiction, or institutional affiliation do not affect apostolic continuity when the essentials remain intact.
  4. Why do some churches reject or question independent apostolic lines?
    Many misunderstandings arise from confusion between canonical recognition (institutional acceptance or communion) and sacramental validity (real, historical transmission of ordained ministry). Institutional recognition and sacramental validity are distinct: lack of communion with Rome or other large institutions does not affect sacramental authenticity or apostolic continuity.
  5. How can I verify the authenticity of your apostolic succession?
    We publicly document our episcopal lineage and ordinations. You are invited and encouraged to review our available documents, succession charts, and supporting resources.
  6. What about eccentric bishops or unusual affiliations?
    We acknowledge that some bishops in historic apostolic lines have held unusual titles or belonged to obscure organisations. While these associations may seem odd, they do not affect sacramental validity.
    Apostolic succession depends on valid form, matter, and intent—not personality or reputation. The Church has always upheld that sacraments are valid even when conferred by flawed or eccentric individuals, provided the essentials are present.
    Our confidence lies in that theological reality—not in optics or opinions.⁶

By openly addressing these common questions, we hope to provide clarity, build trust, and reinforce the credibility of the apostolic succession upheld within our community.

What This Means for You

When you receive a sacrament from clergy of the Bulgarian Old Catholic Church—including through the Apostolic Old Catholic Mission—you can be assured it is:

  • Valid – sacramentally and historically
  • Rooted – in the apostolic faith of the undivided Church
  • Recognised – by broader Catholic and Orthodox theology
  • Offered – with pastoral care and doctrinal integrity

Our clergy are not symbolic.
Our sacraments are not empty.
Our mission is not invented.

It is the continuation of Christ’s own work, passed down through the apostles to today.

Learn More

References

  1. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Dominus Iesus.
    Vatican, 2000.
    https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html
    – Affirms that churches with apostolic succession and the Eucharist are “true particular Churches.”
  2. Code of Canon Law (1983), Can. 844 §§2–3; 1024; 1008–1009.
    https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib4-cann834-848_en.html#TITLE_III
    – Confirms recognition of sacraments from validly ordained non-Catholic clergy in cases of necessity.
  3. Council of Trent, Session VII, Canon XII (On the Sacraments in General).
    https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Canons_and_Decrees_of_the_Council_of_Trent/Session_VII/Sacraments
    – Teaches that sacraments are effective ex opere operato—not dependent on the personal holiness of the minister.
  4. Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), §§1128, 1581–1584.
    https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM
    – Explains that sacraments (including Holy Orders) are valid and effective independently of the personal state of the celebrant.
  5. Anglican–Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), Agreed Statement on Ministry and Ordination (1973).
    https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/angl-comm-docs/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_1973_ministry-ordination_en.html
    – Clarifies mutual recognition of valid orders and the theology of ordination between apostolic churches.
  6. Catholic Encyclopedia (1911), “Old Catholics.”
    https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11235b.htm
    – Offers a historical overview of the Old Catholic movement and its sacramental legitimacy.
  7. Peter E. Fink, S.J., The New Dictionary of Sacramental Worship (Liturgical Press, 1990).
    – A comprehensive academic resource on sacramental theology, including form, matter, and intent.
  8. Edward J. Kilmartin, S.J., Christian Liturgy: Theology and Practice (1998).
    – Discusses the theology of apostolic succession and ordination in both Catholic and Orthodox contexts.
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