Catholic Church (Verthandi)

Catholic Church
Latin: Ecclesia Catholica
Classification	Catholic
Scripture	Traditional Canon
Theology	Catholic theology Thomism
Polity	Episcopal
Head	Jesus Christ
Pope	Adeodatus XVII
Administration	Alpanan Curia
Particular Churches and Rites Sui Iuris	Alpanan Church, and 23 Eastern Catholic Churches
Dioceses	Archdioceses: ????? Dioceses: ?????
Parishes	??????
Region	Universal
Language	Alpanian
Liturgy	Western and Eastern Rites
Headquarters	Ecclesiastical Estate
Founder	Jesus
Origin	33 AD Solyma, Alpanan Republic
Clergy	Bishops: ????? Priests: ????? Deacons: ?????

The Catholic Church (Alpanian: Ecclesia Catholica), is the original and largest Epiphanian Church and largest organized religion in Verthandi. Founded by Jesus Epiphanes in the first century AD, it was spread and overseen across the world by grace of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles and their successors, the Bishops of the Church, administered on earth by the Vicar of Christ, the Bishop of Alpana, currently Adeodatus XVIII. The Church is spread out across the entire world of Verthandi. Over the centuries, several Epiphanian Churches have broken off, such as the Church of the East.

Name

At the very beginning of the Church, its members were known as followers of "The Way" and later as followers of Jesus Epiphanes, also known as "Epiphanians". The name Catholic (from Hellian: καθολικός, Alpanized: katholikos, Alpanian: Catholicus) signifies the universality of the Church, and came to encompass the nature of the universal authority of St. Peter and all of his successors, the Popes, over all the particular Churches as one single Church of Christ. The term was used extensively by Church fathers, and eventually became to be the particular name applied to the Church. The Four Marks of the Church, as laid out in the First Council of Penesa and the Penesan Creed, further show that the Church is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. It is one as the Body of Christ is one, it is Holy through being set apart by God and made Holy through his grace, it is Catholic because it is universal, and it is Apostolic because it inherits the tradition and teaching of the Apostles and has Apostolic succession.

Organization

The Catholic Church, as the Body of Epiphanes, is headed by Jesus Epiphanes, who reigns at the Right Hand of the Father in Heaven. There are three distinct states which the Church is divided into, depending on the state of the members. The Churches Militant, Penitent, and Triumphant are the the members of the Church in Heaven, in Purgatory, and on Earth, respectively. The Church Militant is the Church visible on Verthandi, and has many functions of a human institution, although it is only sustained through Divine Grace. The chief temporal steward of the Church is the Supreme Pontiff, the Pope and Bishop of Alpana. Under the universal authority of the Pope come the Bishops of the Church, who are successors of the Apostles through Apostolic succession, who oversee ecclesiastical affairs of a particular geographic region, known as a Diocese. Besides the Pope, there are eleven other Bishops of Apostolic Sees which have the title of Patriarch, and head a particular church, each of which has their own liturgical Rite. These Patriarchs have authority to appoint their own Bishops, oversee most of the administrative affairs of the churches, supervise the use of the particular Rite. Within each particular Rite, each country usually has a Bishop who is Primate, which grants jurisdictional authority and ceremonial precedence over ecclesiastical affairs in that Country. Archbishops and Metropolitans are Bishops which have oversight over important sees and over regional Bishops. The Pope does have the final say in all matters, and may intervene in the management if deemed necessary, and furthermore must approve of the election of every Partriarch. The Alpanan Curia runs most of the administrative affairs of the universal Church and more directly the Alpanian Rite; In addition, the Pope also selects Cardinals, who are considered the Princes of the Church, who help to manage the temporal affairs of the Church and elect the next Supreme Pontiff. The Patriarchs are almost always Cardinals; other Cardinals are usually important Primates, important Archishops, or Curia officials who have important positions.

The Eight Patriarchates

In the Catholic Church, there are nominally twelve particular churches, called "Patriarchates" all of which are headed by a Patriarch, each based in the places where the Apostles established their Sees. Each of these Patriarchates has their own Rite, Since the time of the Apsostles, however, four of these churches, known in the Catholic Church as the "lost four", have since entered into schism and parted ways, three of which are currently part of the Church of the East. Of the eight which are still in union with Alpana, four are considered "Western"- Alpana, Hypolitum, Jaconia, and Auberon- while the other four are considered "Eastern"- Kyrona, Solyma, !Alexandria and !Antioch.

Patriarchate of Alpana

founded by St. Peter

Patriarchate of Kyrona

- St. Mattathias

Patriarchate of !Antioch

St. Timothy Patriarchate of Solyma- St. John Patriarchate of !Alexandria- St. Gamaliel Patriarchate of Hypolitum- St. Lucius Patriarchate of Auberon- St. Jacob Patriarchate of Jaconia- St. Isidore

The "Lost Four"

Patriarchate of Markanda- St. Simeon Patriachate of Airyahnem- St. Addeus Patriarchate of !Ctespihon- St. Philip Patriarchate of Muziris- St. Ephrem