Catholicism

Catholicism is the largest Christian Church, claiming about 1.07 billion members as of 2003.[1] Catholicism is structured into 22 distinct Churches, all of which are in communion with the Pope. Each Church within Catholicism is headed by a bishop known as a patriarch. A patriarch is responsible for ordaining new bishops and establishing new diocese. The largest of these Churches is the Roman Catholic Church, whose patriarch is the Pope, bishop of Rome.

Catholicism views itself as being in historical and doctrinal continuity with Jesus and the 12 Apostles. This expresses itself in several ways within Catholicism. Catholicism holds bishops are the successors to the apostles, and that all Catholic bishops can eventually trace their ordination back to one of the apostles (who in turn is traced back to Jesus).