The twelve apostles shine as precious stones in the breastplate of the Great High Priest Jesus Christ; their ministry and martyrdom are the foundations of the Church forever, as the Theologian bears witness in the record of his revelation. There is a striking icon known by two names, “The Preaching of the Apostles” or “The Church of Christ.” It depicts Christ at the center, and shows the preaching and death of the apostles to be like rays of light radiating forth in a circle. There is no faithfulness to Christ unless there is faithfulness to the apostolic deposit; and without faithfulness to Christ, there is no reconciliation with the Father, and hence no Church. The apostolic faith leads unto salvation; the apostolic faith founds the Church; indeed, the faith of the apostles, maintained faithfully in the Orthodox doctrine passed down through the generations in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, is the faith that founds the universe.
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