[Uncle Chip]

Lucius of Cyrene was recognized as one of the Seventy Disciples, and thus one of the first Bishops of the Church.

Recognized by whom???

Anyway, Saul had just been chosen by the Lord. He was now the Apostle Paul. So since when do Bishops confer Holy Orders on Apostles??? I thought your church taught it the other way around, or am I wrong???

[thefrankbaum]

Wikipedia's entry. If you click the Catholic online link there as well, it will take you to a brief entry. AFAIK, the Church has taught that St. Lucius of Cyrene was the first Bishop of Cyrene. If another Catholic has any input on this, I would greatly appreciate it.

And you are absolutely right, Saul was chosen by the Lord. However, he was not called Paul until after this event in Acts 13. It is the same way men are "called" to the Priesthood today - they are "set aside" after they recieve Holy Orders, not merely upon hearing His call. And Bishops and Apostles are one and the same - they both have in them the full gifts of the Holy Spirit. For that matter, the Pope is technically a Bishop - now, he is the highest Bishop, but a Bishop nonetheless. Any man who has recieved the commission of a Bishop (as the Apostles had at Pentecost) can validly concecrate others as Priests or Bishops. Make sense?