Our Apostolic Fathers

This lecture explains the spiritual stature of our Apostolic Fathers and their essential role in establishing the Church, handing down faith, doctrine, rites, and spiritual life from generation to generation through lives full of struggle, labor, and complete love for Christ.

Lecture Summary

First: Who are our Apostolic Fathers
Our Apostolic Fathers are the twelve apostles whom the Lord Christ personally chose, along with the Apostle Paul and some others. However, the focus is mainly on the twelve apostles and Paul. They were called by the Lord after prayer, and He knew their hearts and future, so He discipled them Himself.

Second: True discipleship to Christ
The apostles’ discipleship was not theoretical or limited in time. They lived with Christ for more than three years, heard His teachings, witnessed His miracles, and were deeply influenced by His spirit, until His words became for them the words of eternal life.

Third: Their special love in Christ
The Lord Jesus loved them to the end, called them friends, beloved ones, and brothers, appeared to them for forty days after the Resurrection, and delivered to them all the details of faith, doctrine, rites, and the mysteries of the Church.

Fourth: Their role in establishing the Church
The apostles were the first shepherds and bishops. They established the ecclesiastical order, handed down doctrine and rites, defined the order of bishops, priests, and deacons, and founded the apostolic tradition, both written and unwritten.

Fifth: Apostolic tradition
Apostolic tradition was not only written, but also lived. Worship, rites, hymns, and sacraments were transmitted through lived practice from generation to generation until they reached us as they were received from the apostles.

Sixth: Their ascetic life and ministry
The apostles lived lives of hardship, persecution, imprisonment, and suffering, yet they endured everything joyfully for the sake of Christ and dedicated their entire lives to preaching the faith and building the Kingdom of God.

Seventh: The holiness of their lives and their courage
Their lives were marked by deep holiness, to the point that the Apostle Paul said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” They were also distinguished by great courage in witnessing before kings and rulers without fear.

Eighth: Our responsibility toward them
We are called to love our Apostolic Fathers and to feel gratitude toward them, because they labored and shed their blood so that the faith might reach us, and today we live on the fruit of their labor.

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