Ap·os·tol·ic Ap·os·tol·ic·al a.
 1. Pertaining to an apostle, or to the apostles, their times, or their peculiar spirit; as, an apostolical mission; the apostolic age.
 2. According to the doctrines of the apostles; delivered or taught by the apostles; as, apostolic faith or practice.
 3. Of or pertaining to the pope or the papacy; papal.
 Apostolical brief. See under Brief.
 Apostolic canons, a collection of rules and precepts relating to the duty of Christians, and particularly to the ceremonies and discipline of the church in the second and third centuries.
 Apostolic church, the Christian church; -- so called on account of its apostolic foundation, doctrine, and order. The churches of Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem were called apostolic churches.
 Apostolic constitutions, directions of a nature similar to the apostolic canons, and perhaps compiled by the same authors or author.
 Apostolic fathers, early Christian writers, who were born in the first century, and thus touched on the age of the apostles. They were Polycarp, Clement, Ignatius, and Hermas; to these Barnabas has sometimes been added.
 Apostolic king (or majesty), a title granted by the pope to the kings of Hungary on account of the extensive propagation of Christianity by St. Stephen, the founder of the royal line. It is now a title of the emperor of Austria in right of the throne of Hungary.
 Apostolic see, a see founded and governed by an apostle; specifically, the Church of Rome; -- so called because, in the Roman Catholic belief, the pope is the successor of St. Peter, the prince of the apostles, and the only apostle who has successors in the apostolic office.
 Apostolical succession, the regular and uninterrupted transmission of ministerial authority by a succession of bishops from the apostles to any subsequent period.  --Hook.

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 Church n.
 1. A building set apart for Christian worship.
 2. A Jewish or heathen temple. [Obs.]
 3. A formally organized body of Christian believers worshiping together. “When they had ordained them elders in every church.”
 4. A body of Christian believers, holding the same creed, observing the same rites, and acknowledging the same ecclesiastical authority; a denomination; as, the Roman Catholic church; the Presbyterian church.
 5. The collective body of Christians.
 6. Any body of worshipers; as, the Jewish church; the church of Brahm.
 7. The aggregate of religious influences in a community; ecclesiastical influence, authority, etc.; as, to array the power of the church against some moral evil.
    Remember that both church and state are properly the rulers of the people, only because they are their benefactors.   --Bulwer.
 Note: ☞ Church is often used in composition to denote something belonging or relating to the church; as, church authority; church history; church member; church music, etc.
 Apostolic church. See under Apostolic.
 Broad church. See Broad Church.
 Catholic church or Universal church, the whole body of believers in Christ throughout the world.
 Church of England, or English church, the Episcopal church established and endowed in England by law.
 Church living, a benefice in an established church.
 Church militant. See under Militant.
 Church owl Zool., the white owl. See Barn owl.
 Church rate, a tax levied on parishioners for the maintenance of the church and its services.
 Church session. See under Session.
 Church triumphant. See under Triumphant.
 Church work, work on, or in behalf of, a church; the work of a particular church for the spread of religion.
 Established church, the church maintained by the civil authority; a state church.