Portal:Bishops/Intro
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A bishop in the Catholic Church is a senior member of the clergy who holds significant sacramental, administrative, and pastoral authority over a geographic region known as a diocese or, in Eastern Catholic Churches, an eparchy. Bishops are considered the successors of the Twelve Apostles, a doctrine rooted in the principle of Apostolic Succession, which posits that their authority is transmitted through an unbroken chain of ordinations originating with the apostles.[1] As of 2020, there are approximately 5,600 active bishops serving across the Latin and Eastern Catholic rites worldwide, underscoring their critical role in the Church's global mission.[2]
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