how does apostolic succession work?

[photosynthesis]

My roommate was looking through my Bible and saw that it had a list of Popes, and she asked, "how do they decide who gets to be Pope?"

I told her about the conclave, and how they choose a Pope.

How was Pope St. Linus (the 2nd Pope) chosen? How did the Early Christians elect a Pope? I need some facts.

[phatcatholic]

see the following entries from new advent:
[b]--[url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11456a.htm"]papal elections[/url]
--[url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12270a.htm"]election of the popes[/url]
--[url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04192a.htm"]conclave[/url][/b]

from the first entry, we read:[list]As to the earliest ages, Ferraris (op. cit. infra) says that St. Peter himself constituted a senate for the Roman Church, consisting of twenty-four priests and deacons. These were the councillors of the Bishop of Rome and the electors of his successors. This statement is drawn from a canon in the "Corpus Juris Canonici" (can. "Si Petrus", caus. 8, Q. 1). Historians and canonists, however, generally hold that the Roman bishopric was filled on its vacancy in the same manner as other bishoprics, that is, the election of the new pope was made by the neighbouring bishops and the clergy and faithful of Rome. Nevertheless, some maintain that the naming of the successor of St. Peter was restricted to the Roman clergy, and that the people were admitted to a part in the elections only after the time of Sylvester I (fourth century).
[/list]i hope that helps

pax christi,
phatcatholic

Edited July 15, 2005 by phatcatholic

[phatcatholic]

u see this, photo?