The Apostolic Succession of
+michael Archbishop relfe
of the rex deus church
The Lord Jesus Christ consecrated Peter as a bishop, and he consecrated others. This established an apostolic succession. The churches of Antiochian Succession in the United States, including the rex deus church, trace apostolic succession through eastern sources, notably through Archbishop Joseph Renee Vilatte, who is credited with bringing the Antiochian Succession to North America.
The Validity of the Antiochian Succession
Regarding sacramental validity of the Holy Orders of Churches not in communion with the Roman Catholic Pontiff, it is to be noted that Pope Leo XIII, in the Bull Apostolicae Curae – A.D. eighteen ninety six – (1896), stated that, where an appropriate Sacramental minister performs the sacramental ritual using the correct matter and form, with no appearance of jest or simulation, he is presumed with moral certainty to have acted validly.
We therefore share the same Apostolic Succession in essentials, albeit in some areas, dissenting concerning matters of conscience and doctrine.
The Apostolic Succession of our Bishops is of unquestioned validity from the successors of St. Peter in the See of Antioch, the original mission to Gentile Christendom.
Archbishop Vilatte was consecrated in A.D. eighteen ninety two – 1892 under a Bull of authority of Ignatius Peter III, Patriarch of Antioch and titled “Mar Timotheos, Metropolitan Archbishop for the Old Catholics of America adhering to the faith of the undivided church.” At the end of his life Archbishop Vilatte was reconciled with the Holy See of Rome, receiving a full Bishop’s pension from the Vatican until he died in a Cistercian Abbey in France on July first, nineteen hundred twenty nine. He was buried according to the simple rite, mitred, with all the episcopal dignity due him. Be assured that Rome and the Orthodox Church recognizes the validity of our Sacraments.
The validity of the Antiochian Succession has repeatedly been recognized and acknowledged by the Roman Catholic Church, which has admitted into its fold bishops of the Antiochian Succession without re-ordination or consecration; by the Old Catholic Church of Holland; by the Church of England, which in A.D. eighteen seventy – 1870, welcomed the visiting Patriarch of Antioch, Ignatius Peter III — the same who ordered the consecration of Archbishop Vilatte — and enthroned him in Canterbury Cathedral to bless the people; by the Armenian, Russian Orthodox, Greek and in fact, all branches of the Orthodox Church, which have undoubted Orders themselves.
At one time, the Protestant Episcopal Church of America made the erroneous charge that the consecration of Archbishop Vilatte was null and void because the Church of Antioch, from which his Orders were derived, was “unorthodox.” This charge, however, was disputed by the Church of England itself. The Lambeth Conference of Pan-Anglican Bishops of A.D. nineteen twenty – 1920, in their Encyclical Letter “To The Christian World” (pp. 150-151), declared that the “accusations of heresy against the Western Syrian Churches are false.” It is also the same for the Christians of St. Thomas of Malabar. American Episcopalian the Reverend Doctor Ritchie, acknowledged chief among Catholic-minded Episcopalian theologians and scholars in the United States of America, wrote a forceful editorial in the “Catholic Champion” in which he asserted: “Vilatte is as true a Bishop as ever wore a mitre.” And a member of the House of Bishops, Bishop Coxe of Western New York, in a letter to Archbishop Vilatte declared in February twenty fourth, eighteen hundred ninety six A.D. — “Whatever the House of Bishops may say to the contrary, no Roman prelate in the United States has an Episcopate as valid as yours.”
If further evidence of the canonical and valid Consecration of Archbishop Vilatte were required, it is found in the invitation he received to go to France and found a National Catholic Church for France. After the separation of the Church and State in France by the laws of July first, nineteen hundred and one A.D., the League of Catholics of France was formed to establish a French National Catholic Church, independent of Rome, the National Committee of which was under the presidency of Henri des Hou (Knight of Legion of Honor and decorated with the Royal and Imperial Orders of Spain and Russia) and included such men of note as Senators Reveilland and Guiesse. These devout men of France, in their search for a valid non-papal bishop who would give them the Apostolic Succession, sent to Ceylon and to Malabar through the French Consulate to verify Bishop Vilatte’s Consecration, and to obtain official copies of the Acts of Consecration, the Edict of the Patriarch of Antioch sanctioning it, and the attestation of the United States Consul Morey of Ceylon, who was present at the consecration and one of the witnesses to the event. Through the influence of M. Briand, Minister of Public Instruction and Worship, these indisputable documents were obtained. After the issues of his consecration were definitively settled, Archbishop Vilatte was most earnestly invited to come to France to assist in establishing an independent (non-Papal) Catholic Church and so was born the Independent Gallican Apostolic Catholic Church.
The rex deus church Succession can be traced from Jerusalem where the Apostles, equally called, commissioned and inspired, and their sacred office perpetuated by the election and consecration of Matthias, went forth preaching, healing, baptizing, laying on of hands, consecrating and establishing churches, the first of which was the Church of Antioch, founded by St. Peter about A.D. thirty eight – 38 and over which he reigned as Bishop and Patriarch for six years. Antioch thus became the Mother Church of Gentile Christendom, and consequently if any primacy or supremacy were possessed by St. Peter, and continued through his successors and the Church founded by him, then Antioch has a right to claim that supremacy.
However priority and absolute equality (not supremacy) with all other valid branches of the Orthodox Church, is the claim and glorious heritage of the rex deus church through the Antiochian Succession. St. Peter’s successor as Bishop and Patriarch of Antioch was Evodus, who in turn was succeeded by St. Ignatius the Martyr, and so on down the Christian centuries until the present day. These successors of St. Peter, have presided over the Antiochian Church, and kept alive the Apostolic Succession in that Church.
Apostolic Succession of +michael kevin relfe – Mar Seraphim II – from the Apostle Peter through the Syrian Patriarchate of Anitoch and All the East
1. St. Peter – c. thrity eight – 38 A.D.
2. Evodius – forty – 40 A.D.
3. St. Ignatius I (Martyr) – forty three – 43 A.D.
4. Earon – one hundred twenty three – 123 A.D.
5. Cornelius – one hundred thirty seven – 137 A.D.
6. Eados – one hundred forty eight – 148 A.D.
7. Theophilus – one hundred fifty seven – 157 A.D.
8. Maximinus – one hundred seventy one – 171 A.D.
9. Seraphim – one hundred seventy nine – 179 A.D.
10. Ascledpiades (martyr) – one hundred eight nine – 189 A.D.
11. Philip – two hundred one – 201 A.D.
12. Zebinus – two hundred nineteen – 219 A.D.
13. Babylos (martyr) – two hundred twenty seven – 227 A.D.
14. Fabius – two hundred sixty – 260 A.D.
15. Demetrius – two hundred sixty one – 261 A.D.
16. Paul I – two hundred sixty nine – 269 A.D.
17. Domnus I – two hundred seventy – 270 A.D.
18. Timotheus – two hundred eighty one – 281 A.D.
19. Cyrilus – two hundred ninety one – 291 A.D.
20. Tyrantus – two hundred ninety six – 296 A.D.
21. Vitalius – three hundred one – 301 A.D.
22. Philogonius – three hundred eighteen – 318 A.D.
23. Eustachius – three hundred twenty three – 323 A.D.
24. Paulinus – three hundred thirty eight – 338 A.D.
25. Philabianus – three hundred eighty three – 383 A.D.
26. Evagrius – three hundred eighty six – 386 A.D.
27. Phosphorius – four hundred sixteen – 416 A.D.
28. Alexander – four hundred eighteen – 418 A.D.
29. John I – four hundred twenty eight – 428 A.D.
30. Theodotus – four hundred thirty one – 431 A.D.
31. Domnus II – four hundred forty three – 443 A.D.
32. Maximus – four hundred fifty – 450 A.D.
33. Accacius – four hundred fifty four – 454 A.D.
34. Martyrius – four hundred fifty seven – 457 A.D.
35. Peter II – four hundred sixty four – 464 A.D.
36. Philadius – five hundred – 500 A.D.
37. Serverius the Great – five hundred nine – 509 A.D.
38. Sergius – five hundred forty four – 544 A.D.
39. Domnus III – five hundred forty seven – 547 A.D.
40. Anastasius – five hundred sixty – 560 A.D.
41. Gregory I – five hundred sixty four – 564 A.D.
42. Paul II – five hundred sixty seven – 567 A.D.
43. Patra – five hundred seventy one – 571 A.D.
44. Domnus IV – five hundred eighty six – 586 A.D.
45. Julianus – five hundred ninety one – 591 A.D.
46. Athanasius I – five hundred ninety six – 596 A.D.
47. John II – six hundred thirty six – 636 A.D.
48. Theodorus I – six hundred forty – 640 A.D.
49. Severus – six hundred fifty three – 653 A.D.
50. Athanasius II – six hundred eighty four – 684 A.D.
51. Julianus II – six hundred eighty seven – 687 A.D.
52. Elias I – seven hundred eight – 708 A.D.
53. Athanasius III – seven hundred thirty four – 734 A.D.
54. Evanius I – seven hundred forty – 740 A.D.
55. Gervasius I – seven hundred fifty six – 756 A.D.
56. Joseph – seven hundred ninety – 790 A.D.
57. Cyriacus – seven hundred ninety three – 793 A.D.
58. Dionysius I – eight hundred eighteen – 818 A.D.
59. John III – eight hundred forty seven – 847 A.D.
60. Ignatius II – eight hundred seventy seven – 877 A.D.
61. Theodosius – eight hundred eighty seven – 887 A.D.
62. Dionysius II – eight hundred ninety seven – 897 A.D.
63. John IV – nine hundred ten – 910 A.D.
64. Basilius I – nine hundred twenty two – 922 A.D.
65. John V – nine hundred forty six – 946 A.D.
66. Evanius II – nine hundred sixty four – 964 A.D.
67. Dionysius III – nine hundred sixty eight – 968 A.D.
68. Abraham I – nine hundred eighty one – 981 A.D.
69. John VI – nine hundred eighty six – 986 A.D.
70. Athanasius IV – nine hundred eighty seven – 987 A.D.
71. John VII – one thousand four – 1004 A.D.
72. Dionysius IV – one thousand fifty three – 1053 A.D.
73. Theodorus II – one thousand sixty three – 1063 A.D.
74. Athanasius V – one thousand sixty two – 1062 A.D.
75. John VIII – one thousand sixty four – 1064 A.D.
76. Basilius II – one thousand seventy four – 1074 A.D.
77. Abdoone – one thousand seventy six – 1076 A.D.
78. Dionysius V – one thousand seventy seven – 1077 A.D.
79. Evanius III – one thousand eighty – 1080 A.D.
80. Dionysius VI – one thousand eighty eight – 1088 A.D.
81. Athanasius VI – one thousand ninety one – 1091 A.D.
82. John IX – eleven hundred thirty one – 1131 A.D.
83. Athanasius VII – eleven hundred thirty nine – 1139 A.D.
84. Michael I (the Great) – eleven hundred sixty seven – 1167 A.D.
85. Athanasius VIII – twelve hundred – 1200 A.D.
86. Michael II – twelve hundred seven – 1207 A.D.
87. John X – twelve hundred eight – 1208 A.D.
88. Ignatius III – twelve hundred thirteen – 1213 A.D.
89. Dionysius III – twelve hundred sixty three – 1263 A.D.
90. John XI – twelve hundred sixty three – 1263 A.D.
91. Ignatius IV – twelve hundred sixty four – 1264 A.D.
92. Philanus – twelve hundred eighty three – 1283 A.D.
93. Ignatius Baruhid – twelve hundred ninety three – 1293 A.D.
94. Ignatius Ismael – thirteen hundred thirty three – 1333 A.D.
95. Ignatius Basilius III – thirteen hundred sixty six – 1366 A.D.
96. Ignatius Abraham II – thirteen hundred eighty three – 1383 A.D.
97. Ignatius Basilius IV – fourteen hundred thirteen – 1413 A.D.
98. Ignatius Behanum I – fourteen hundred fifteen – 1415 A.D.
99. Ignatius Kalejih – fourteen hundred fifty five – 1455 A.D.
100. Ignatius John XII – fourteen hundred eighty three – 1483 A.D.
101. Ignatius Noah – fourteen hundred ninety three – 1493 A.D.
102. Ignatius Jesus I – fifteen hundred nine – 1509 A.D.
103. Ignatius Jacos I – fifteen hundred ten – 1510 A.D.
104. Ignatius David I – fifteen hundred nineteen – 1519 A.D.
105. Ignatius Abdullah – fifteen hundred thirty – 1530 A.D.
106. Ignatius Na Amathalax – fifteen hundred fifty seven – 1557 A.D.
107. Ignatius David I – fifteen hundred seventy six – 1576 A.D.
108. Ignatius Philathus – fifteen hundred ninety one – 1591 A.D.
109. Ignatius Abdullah II – fifteen hundred ninety seven – 1597 A.D.
110. Ignatius Cadhai – fifteen hundred ninety eight – 1598 A.D.
111. Ignatius Simeon – sixteen hundred forty – 1640 A.D.
112. Ignatius Jesus I – sixteen hundred forty eight – 1648 A.D.
113. Ignatius A. Messiah I – sixteen hundred sixty one – 1661 A.D.
114. Ignatius Cabeed – sixteen hundred sixty six – 1666 A.D.
115. Ignatius Gervasius II – sixteen hundred sixtdy seven – 1667 A.D.
116. Ignatius Isaac – seventeen hundred eight – 1708 A.D.
117. Ignatius Siccabablak – seventeen hundred thirty three – 1733 A.D.
118. Ignatius Gervasius III – seventeen hundred forty eight – 1748 A.D.
119. Ignatius Gervasius IV – seventeen hundred sixty eight – 1768 A.D.
120. Ignatius Matthias – seventeen hundred sixty one – 1761 A.D.
121. Ignatius Benaham II – eighteen hundred ten – 1810 A.D.
122. Ignatius Jonas – eighteen hundred seventeen – 1817 A.D.
123. Ignatius Gervasius V – eighteen hundred eighteen – 1818 A.D.
124. Ignatius Elias II – eighteen hundred thirty – 1830 A.D.
125. Ignatius Jacob II – eighteen hundred forty seven – 1847 A.D.
126. Ignatius Peter III – eighteen hundred fifty three – 1853 A.D.
127. Ignatius Abdullah III – eighteen hundred eighty six – 1886 A.D.
128. Ignatius Peter III – eighteen hundred seventy two – 1872 A.D.
Ignatius Peter III, Patriarch of Antioch and the East, assisted by two Bishops, consecrated Paul Athanasius in eighteen hundred seventy six (1876) and appointed him his Legate.
129. Paul Athanasius – eighteen hundred seventy six – 1876 A.D.
Metropolitan-Archbishop and Legate of Ignatius Peter III, Paul Athanasius, assisted by Metropolitan Archbishops George Gregorius and Paul Evanius, consecrated Francis Xavier Alvarez, Archbishop of Ceylon in eighteen hundred eighty nine – 1889 A.D..
130. Francis Xavier Alvarez – Julius I – eighteen hundred eighty nine – 1889 A.D.
Archbishop Alvarez, in accordance with the edict issued by His Holiness, Ignatius Peter III and assisted by the Metropolitan Archbishops, Gregorius and Athanasius, in his cathedral at Colombo, Ceylon, on May twenty nine, eighteen hundred ninety two A.D., consecrated Joseph Rene Vilatte as “Metropolitan-Archbishop for the Old Catholics of America”, adhering to the Faith of the early undivided Church; thus antedating by twenty years all other Independent or Non-Papal Catholic movements in America.
131. Joseph Renee Vilatte – Timotheus I – eighteen hundred ninety two – 1892 A.D.
Archbishop Vilatte, during his life time, headed four ecclesiastical organizations: The American Old Roman Catholic Church (the continuation of the Swiss Christian-Catholic movement in which Vilatte had been ordained Priest and to which was added the word “North” when this Church defected from Bishop Vilatte’s Episcopal jurisdiction); The African Orthodox Church; The Order of the Crown of Thorns and the American Catholic Church.
132. Frederick E.J. Lloyd – nineteen hundred fifteen – 1915 A.D.
133. Samuel Gregory Lines – nineteen hundred twenty five – 1925 A.D.
134. Joseph A. Justin Boyle – nineteen hundred twenty seven – 1927 A.D.
135. Lowell Paul Wadle – nineteen hundred forty – 1940 A.D.
136. William W. Webb – nineteen hundred sixty – 1960 A.D.
137. Marc-Antoine Lully – nineteen hundred sixty seven – 1967 A.D.
138. Michael Paul Bertiaux – nineteen hundred sixty seven – 1967 A.D.
139. Mar Ambrosias – nineteen hundred seventy seven– 1977 A.D.
140. michael kevin relfe – two thousand ten – 2010 A.D. – Seraphim II
In all cases, regarding michael Archbishop relfe, the Christian Appellation is michael and the family clann is relfe. In all cases, the appellation refers to the living spirit, not a fictional “person”, “name”, “citizen”, “individual”, “ship”, “vessel”, trust or any other legal fiction.