Apostolic Succession

We don’t invent our authority —
we receive it. Through valid, historic ordination,
our mission stands in continuity with the apostles.

Historic, valid, and unbroken

Our Apostolic Lineage

Apostolic succession refers to the unbroken line of ordained ministry passed down from the apostles themselves — through the laying on of hands, in prayer and sacrament — from bishop to bishop and priest to priest. It is not a claim of superiority, but a recognition that the ministry we exercise today is not self-appointed or invented. It is received.

The apostolic succession of the Apostolic Old Catholic Mission is valid and historic. We trace our episcopal lineage through the Bulgarian Old Catholic Church (BOCC), which in turn stands in continuity with the Old Catholic Churches of Europe, themselves descended from the ancient Catholic sees, including the See of Utrecht, long recognised for its valid orders.

Our bishop, Archbishop Svetoslav Vassilev, was himself ordained in valid apostolic succession — and it is under his oversight that Fr Ashley Deutschmann was ordained priest on 18 May 2025. The BOCC is a legally registered religious body in Bulgaria and maintains the sacramental and apostolic character required for the valid transmission of orders (cf. Dominus Iesus, 2000).

What matters most is not the paperwork, but the faithful stewardship of the ministry Christ entrusted to his apostles — and that is what we seek to carry forward: humbly, reverently, and without clerical pretence.

View Apostolic Succession documents
A thread woven through centuries

What the Church Has Historically Taught

The idea of apostolic succession isn’t about control or hierarchy. At least, it shouldn’t be. Sadly, over the centuries, it has sometimes been used that way — as a means of exclusion, status, or institutional control. But that was never its purpose.

Apostolic succession is really about continuity — the belief that what began with Jesus and his apostles continues through the Church today. From the very start, Christian communities recognised that this sacred ministry should be passed on — from one generation to the next — through prayer, the laying on of hands, and shared responsibility.

Writers like St Irenaeus, and councils like Nicaea, affirmed that succession wasn’t about rank, but about keeping the faith real and rooted — not just in words, but in lives. The Church didn’t just teach about Jesus; it lived his mission, and passed it on through people called and equipped to serve.

That’s what we stand in today: not a special status, but a sacred trust. We don’t claim to be better — only faithful to what was handed down. Apostolic succession means that our sacraments, our ministry, and our care for people all stand in a line that stretches back to the apostles themselves.
This is not a museum piece. It’s a living ministry — offered in grace, with open hands.

Recognised. Misunderstood. Still faithful

Key Documents and Clarifications

We understand that terms like “apostolic succession” can raise questions — especially in a world where many Christian communities operate without it. We want to be clear: we do not claim to be the only valid church, nor do we deny the presence of God’s grace in traditions that do not hold to apostolic succession as we do.

But we do believe — with grace and humility — that apostolic succession matters. Not as a mark of superiority, but as a sacred thread of continuity with the apostles and the early Church. It is not about status. It is about stewardship.

The Declaration of Utrecht (1889), foundational to the Old Catholic movement, affirmed core Catholic beliefs — including the sacraments, apostolic succession, and conciliar governance — while rejecting innovations imposed without consensus. It reaffirmed that apostolic succession is a gift to be handed down, not a title to be claimed. It also upheld freedom of conscience, pastoral flexibility, and the importance of inclusion.

In Dominus Iesus (2000), the Roman Catholic Church acknowledged that churches like ours — those with valid apostolic succession and proper Eucharistic theology — “have true sacraments” and are considered “particular Churches”, even if not in full communion with Rome. This is not about seeking approval. It simply recognises that our ministry flows from the same Christ, through the same apostolic tradition, with the same grace.

We are independent, yes. But independence is not the same as irregularity, and it certainly isn’t the same as invalidity. Our apostolic succession — through the Bulgarian Old Catholic Church — is real, historical, and theologically recognised. We exercise it not to control, but to serve.

That’s the heart of it: We receive in order to give. We carry what others have passed on — not to protect it behind locked doors, but to offer it freely at the table of Christ.

Still have questions?

What Does This All Mean?

A few honest answers to common questions about apostolic succession and what it means for us today.

Still have questions?

Not at all. We don’t believe apostolic succession makes us “better” — but we do believe it matters. It’s not about pride or power. It’s about staying connected to the faith, worship, and sacramental ministry of the apostles, handed on faithfully through the centuries.
Many churches serve Christ with love and grace, even if they don’t follow this structure — but for us, it remains an essential part of how we understand valid sacramental life.

Yes — gently, but clearly. In Catholic theology (which we share), sacraments like the Eucharist and ordination require valid apostolic succession to be considered fully sacramental in nature. That doesn’t mean God can’t work elsewhere — only that we believe sacramental grace depends on continuity in both form and authority.
We hold this with conviction, but not with condemnation.

No. Apostolic succession is upheld by the Roman Catholic, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Old Catholic, and many Anglican churches. These traditions have preserved the unbroken line of ordination from the apostles through bishops and priests.
What unites us isn’t institutional control, but shared sacramental continuity.

No. We are Catholic, but not Roman Catholic. We share the ancient faith, the apostolic ministry, and the sacramental life — but we are not under the Pope’s authority. We belong to the Old Catholic tradition, which values both fidelity and freedom.

Because the Church isn’t just a symbol — it’s something lived. Apostolic succession isn’t about looking back with nostalgia. It’s about ensuring what we offer today — in worship, in Eucharist, in pastoral care — is grounded, real, and in continuity with the Church Christ began.