"The apostolic succession of the bishop’s ministry is the way that guarantees the faithful conveyance of the apostolic testimony": this was stated today by Benedict XVI during the usual Wednesday catechesis before over fifty thousand devotees taking part in the general audience in Saint Peter’s Square. As well as the 40 thousand pilgrims who had asked for the tickets from the prefecture of the Papal House, another ten thousand have arrived, including a large number of schools that take advantage of the school trips to take their students to the Pope. "The Episcopal succession, substantiated by its communion with that of the Church of Rome specified Benedict XVI is therefore the criterion of the permanence of each Church in the tradition of the apostolic faith, which through this channel has come to us since the origins". So, he explained, "the succession in the bishop’s function is a guarantee of perseverance in the apostolic tradition": "The bond between the College of Bishops and the original community of the Apostles lies first and foremost in historical continuity: in this continuity of succession lies the guarantee of the perseverance, in the current church community, of the College of Apostles, gathered by Christ around Himself. But such continuity is also a spiritual one, because the apostolic succession in the ministry is considered a privileged place of the action and conveyance of the Holy Ghost". (to be continued)
