Study Bank | Apostolic Succession in the Church History of Eusebius

Relevant Resources

• Quote Archive | Apostolic Succession
• Study Bank | The Ancient Lists and Testimonies of Popes Succeeding from Peter
• #39 | The Biblical Roots of Apostolic Succession, Infallibility, and the Indefectibility of the Church, Part 1: When Jesus Began to Reign as King
• #45 | St. Augustine: Apostolic Succession Prophesied in the Psalms (Exposition of Psalm 45)

Introduction

This Study Bank on Apostolic Succession in Eusebius’s Church History traces the succession of bishops from apostolic times to the early 300s provided by Eusebius for the main churches founded by the Apostles, namely: Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem; initially ruled by St. Peter, St. Mark, St. Peter, and St. James respectively.

Eusebius was the first major historian in the ancient Church. He was born in the 260s, and died in 339. His history covers the timespan from Christ to roughly the time of Constantine’s conversion in 312.

The purpose of this Study Bank is to illustrate the reality of apostolic succession as contained in some of the earliest histories and records of the ancient Church. Next to the name of each bishop is/are the sections in Eusebius’s Church History where their episcopal succession is recorded.

These records indicate that ancient Christians did not believe the Catholic Church was an invisible society, but a visible one whose rulers could be traced back to Christ and the Apostles themselves.

The Bishops of Rome (the Popes)

• Pope #1: St. Peter (Apostle) | Book 2, Ch. 14–15; Ch. 17, §1; Ch. 25 | Book 3, Ch. 2; Ch. 31 | Book 6, Ch. 14; Ch. 25, §5
• Pope #2: St. Pope Linus | Book 3, Ch. 2;  Ch. 4, §9; Ch. 13; Ch. 21, §3 | Book 5, Ch. 6, §1
• Pope #3: St. Pope Anacletus | Book 3, Ch. 13; Ch. 15; Ch. 21, §3 | Book 5, Ch. 6, §2
• Pope #4: St. Pope Clement | Book 3, Ch. 4, §10; Ch. 15–16; Ch. 21, §2 | Book 4, Ch. 23, §11
• Pope #5: St. Pope Evaristus | Book 3, Ch. 34 | Book 4, Ch. 1, §2 | Book 5, Ch. 6, §4
• Pope #6: St. Pope Alexander | Book 4, Ch. Ch. 4 | Book 5, Ch. 6, §4
• Pope #7: St. Pope Xystus/Sixtus | Book 4, Ch. 4; Ch. 5, §5 | Book 5, Ch. 6, §4; Ch. 24, §14 | Book 7, Ch. 9, §§1, 6; Ch. 14; Ch. 27, §1
• Pope #8: St. Pope Telesphorus | Book 4, Ch. 5, §5; Ch. 10 | Book 5, Ch. 6, §4; Ch. 24, §14
• Pope #9: St. Pope Hyginus | Book 4, Ch. 10; Ch. 11, §§1-2, 6 | Book 5, Ch. 6, §4; Ch. 24, §14
• Pope #10: St. Pope Pius | Book 4, Ch. 11, §§1, 6-7 | Book 5, Ch. 6, §4; Ch. 24, §14
• Pope #11: St. Pope Anicetus | Book 1, Ch. 25, §6 | Book 3, Ch. 3, §§3-4; Ch. 4, §3 | Book 4, Ch. 22, §3
• Pope #12: St. Pope Soter | Book 4, Ch. 19; Ch. 22, §3; Ch. 23, §§9-10; Ch. 30, §3 | Book 5, Intro., §1; Ch. 6, §4; Ch. 24, §14
• Pope #13: St. Pope Eleutherus | Book 4, Ch. 11, §7; Ch. 22, §3 | Book 5, Intro., §1; Ch. 3, §4; Ch. 4, §2; Ch. 5, §9; Ch. 6, §4; Ch. 22
• Pope #14: St. Pope Victor | Book 3, Ch. 31, §2 | Book 5, Ch. 22; Ch. 23, §2; Ch. 24, §§1, 9-11, 18; Ch. 28, §§3-4, 6-7, 9
• Pope #15: St. Pope Zephyrinus | Book 2, Ch. 25, §6 | Book 5, Ch. 28, §§3, 7, 12 | Book 6, Ch. 14, §10; Ch. 20, §3; Ch. 21, §1
• Pope #16: St. Pope Callistus | Book 6, Ch. 21, §1
• Pope #17: St. Pope Urbanus/Urban | Book 6, Ch. 21, §2; Ch. 23, §3
• Pope #18: St. Pope Pontianus/Pontian | Book 6, Ch. 23, §3; Ch. 29, §1
• Pope #19: St. Pope Anteros/Anterus | Book 6, Ch. 29, §§1-2
• Pope #20: St. Pope Fabianus/Fabian | Book 6, Ch. 29, §§1-3; Ch. 36, §4; Ch. 39, §1
• Pope #21: St. Pope Cornelius | Book 6, Ch. 39, §1; Ch. 43, §§3-5, 18-19, 22; Ch. 46, §3 | Book 7, Ch. 2
• Pope #22: St. Pope Lucius | Book 7, Ch. 2
• Pope #23: St. Pope Stephen | Book 7, Ch. 2; Ch. 3; Ch. 4; Ch. 5, §§3, 6
• Pope #24: St. Pope Xystus/Sixtus II | Book 7, Ch. 5, §3; Ch. 9, §§1, 6; Ch. 14; Ch. 27, §1
• Pope #25: St. Pope Dionysius | Book 7, Ch. 26, §1; Ch. 27, §1; Ch. 30, §§1-2, 23
• Pope #26: St. Pope Felix | Book 7, Ch. 30, §23; Ch. 32, §1
• Pope #27: St. Pope Eutychianus/Eutychian | Book 7, Ch. 32, §1
• Pope #28: St. Pope Caius | Book 7, Ch. 32, §1
• Pope #29: St. Pope Marcellinus | Book 7, Ch. 32, §1
• Pope #30: St. Pope Marcellus | (missing)
• Pope #31: St. Pope Eusebius | (missing)
• Pope #32: St. Pope Miltiades | Book 10, Ch. 5, §18

The Bishops of Alexandria

• Bishop of Alexandria #1: St. Mark (Apostle) | Book 2, Ch. 17, §1; Ch. 24
• Bishop of Alexandria #2: Annianus | Book 2, Ch. 24 | Book 3, Ch. 14; Ch. 21, §2
• Bishop of Alexandria #3: Abilius | Book 3, Ch. 14; Ch. 21, §1
• Bishop of Alexandria #4: Cerdon | Book 3, Ch. 21, §1
• Bishop of Alexandria #5: Primus | Book 4, Ch. 1, §1; Ch. 4
• Bishop of Alexandria #6: Justus | Book 4, Ch. 4
• Bishop of Alexandria #7: Eumenes | Book 4, Ch. 5, §5; Ch. 11, §6
• Bishop of Alexandria #8: Marcus | Book 4, Ch. 11, §6
• Bishop of Alexandria #9: Celadion | Book 4, Ch. 11, §6; Ch. 19
• Bishop of Alexandria #10: Agripinnus | Book 4, Ch. 19 | Book 5, Ch. 9
• Bishop of Alexandria #11: Julian | Book 5, Ch. 9; Ch. 22
• Bishop of Alexandria #12: Demetrius | Book 5, Ch. 22; Book 6, Ch. 3, §2; Ch. 26; Ch. 29, §5
• Bishop of Alexandria #13: Heraclas | Book 6, Ch. 3, §2; Ch. 26; Ch. 29, §5; Ch. 35
• Bishop of Alexandria #14: Dionysius | Book 3, Ch. 28, §3 | Book 6, Ch. 35 | Book 7, Intro.; Ch. 7, §6; Ch. 11, §26; Ch. 28, §3
• Bishop of Alexandria #15: Maximus | Book 7, Ch. 11, §26; Ch. 28, §3; Ch. 32, §30
• Bishop of Alexandria #16: Theonas | Book 7, Ch. 32, §§30-31
• Bishop of Alexandria #17: Peter | Book 7, Ch. 32, §31 | Book 8, Ch. 13, §7 | Book 9, Ch. 8, §2

The Bishops of Antioch

• Bishop of Antioch #1: St. Peter (Apostle) | Book 3, Ch. 36, §2
• Bishop of Antioch #2: Evodius | Book 3, Ch. 22
• Bishop of Antioch #3: St. Ignatius of Antioch | Book 3, Ch. 22; Ch. 36, §§2, 15
• Bishop of Antioch #4: Heros | Book 3, Ch. 36, §15 | Book 4, Ch. 20
• Bishop of Antioch #5: Cornelius | Book 4, Ch. 20
• Bishop of Antioch #6: Eros | Book 4, Ch. 20
• Bishop of Antioch #7: Theophilus | Book 4, Ch. 20; Ch. 24, §3
• Bishop of Antioch #8: Maximinus | Book 4, Ch. 24, §3 | Book 5, Ch. 19, §1
• Bishop of Antioch #9: Serapion | Book 5, Ch. 19, §1 | Book 6, Ch. 11, §4
• Bishop of Antioch #10: Asclepiades | Book 6, Ch. 11, §§4-5; Ch. 21, §2
• Bishop of Antioch #11: Philetus | Book 6, Ch. 21, §2; Ch. 23, §3
• Bishop of Antioch #12: Zebinus | Book 6, Ch. 23, §3; Ch. 29, §5
• Bishop of Antioch #13: Babylas | Book 6, Ch. 29, §5; Ch. 39, §4
• Bishop of Antioch #14: Fabius | Book 6, Ch. 39, §4; Ch. 43, §§3, 22; Ch. 46, §4
• Bishop of Antioch #15: Demetrianus | Book 6, Ch. 46, §4 | Book 7, Ch. 5, §1; Ch. 14; Ch. 27, §1
• Bishop of Antioch #16: Paul of Samosata (heretic; later excommunicated) | Book 7, Ch. 28, §1; Ch. 30, §18
• Bishop of Antioch #17: Domnus | Book 7, Ch. 30, §18; Ch. 32, §2
• Bishop of Antioch #18: Timaeus | Book 7, Ch. 32, §2
• Bishop of Antioch #19: Cyril | Book 7, Ch. 32, §§2, 4
• Bishop of Antioch #20: Tyrannus | Book 7, Ch. 32, §4

The Bishops of Jerusalem

• Bishop of Jerusalem #1: St. James (Apostle) | Book 2, Ch. 1, §§2-3; Ch. 23, §1 | Book 3, Ch. 5, §2; Ch. 7, §9; Ch. 11, §1 | Book 7, Ch. 19
• Bishop of Jerusalem #2: Symeon | Book 3, Ch. 11, §2; Ch. 22; Ch. 32, §1
• Bishop of Jerusalem #3: Justus | Book 3, Ch. 35
• Bishop of Jerusalem #4: Zacchaeus | Book 4, Ch. 5, §3
• Bishop of Jerusalem #5: Tobias | Book 4, Ch. 5, §3
• Bishop of Jerusalem #6: Benjamin | Book 4, Ch. 5, §3
• Bishop of Jerusalem #7: John | Book 4, Ch. 5, §3
• Bishop of Jerusalem #8: Matthias | Book 4, Ch. 5, §3
• Bishop of Jerusalem #9: Philip | Book 4, Ch. 5, §3
• Bishop of Jerusalem #10: Seneca | Book 4, Ch. 5, §3
• Bishop of Jerusalem #11: Justus | Book 4, Ch. 5, §3
• Bishop of Jerusalem #12: Levi | Book 4, Ch. 5, §3
• Bishop of Jerusalem #13: Ephres | Book 4, Ch. 5, §3
• Bishop of Jerusalem #14: Joseph | Book 4, Ch. 5, §3
• Bishop of Jerusalem #15: Judas | Book 4, Ch. 5, §3
• Bishop of Jerusalem #16: Marcus | Book 5, Ch. 12, §1
• Bishop of Jerusalem #17: Cassianus | Book 5, Ch. 12, §2
• Bishop of Jerusalem #18: Publius | Book 5, Ch. 12, §2
• Bishop of Jerusalem #19: Maximus | Book 5, Ch. 12, §2
• Bishop of Jerusalem #20: Julian | Book 5, Ch. 12, §2
• Bishop of Jerusalem #21: Gaius | Book 5, Ch. 12, §2
• Bishop of Jerusalem #22: Symmachus | Book 5, Ch. 12, §2
• Bishop of Jerusalem #23: Gaius | Book 5, Ch. 12, §2
• Bishop of Jerusalem #24: Julian | Book 5, Ch. 12, §2
• Bishop of Jerusalem #25: Capito | Book 5, Ch. 12, §2
• Bishop of Jerusalem #26: Valens | Book 5, Ch. 12, §2
• Bishop of Jerusalem #27: Dolichianus | Book 5, Ch. 12, §2
• Bishop of Jerusalem #28: (Missing)
• Bishop of Jerusalem #29: (Missing)
• Bishop of Jerusalem #30: Narcissus | Book 5, Ch. 12, §1; Ch. 22; Ch. 23, §2 | Book 6, Ch. 8, §7; Ch. 10
• Bishop of Jerusalem #31: Dius | Book 6, Ch. 10
• Bishop of Jerusalem #32: Germanio | Book 6, Ch. 10
• Bishop of Jerusalem #33: Gordius | Book 6, Ch. 10
• Bishop of Jerusalem #34: Narcissus (restored) | Book 6, Ch. 10; Ch. 11, §1
• Bishop of Jerusalem #35: Alexander | Book 6, Ch. 8, §7; Ch. 11, §§1-4; Ch. 19, §17; Ch. 27; Ch. 39, §§2-3; Ch. 46, §4
• Bishop of Jerusalem #36: Mazabanes | Book 6, Ch. 39, §3 | Book 7, Ch. 14
• Bishop of Jerusalem #37: Hymenaeus | Book 7, Ch. 14; Ch. 28, §1; Ch. 32, §29
• Bishop of Jerusalem #38: Zambdas | Book 7, Ch. 32, §29