Editing Episcopal polity (section)

==Oriental Orthodox churches==
The [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox Churches]] affirm the ideas of apostolic succession and episcopal government. Within each national Church, the bishops form a holy [[synod]] to which even the Patriarch is subject. The [[Syriac Orthodox Church]] traces its [[apostolic succession]] to St. Peter and recognises Antioch as the original [[See of St. Peter]]. The [[Armenian Apostolic Church]] traces its lineage to the Apostle Bartholomew. The [[Indian Orthodox Church]] traces its lineage to the Apostle Thomas. The [[Ethiopian Orthodox Church]] received its lines of succession ([[Frumentius]]) through the [[Coptic Orthodox Church]] in the fifth century.

Both the [[Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria|Greek]] and Coptic Orthodox Churches each recognise their own Pope of Alexandria ([[Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa]], and [[Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria]] respectively), both of whom trace their apostolic succession back to the figure [[Mark the Evangelist]].<ref>[[Eusebius of Caesarea]], the author of an ''[[Church History (Eusebius)|Ecclesiastical History]]'' in the 4th century, states that St. Mark came to Egypt in the first or third year of the reign of Emperor Claudius, i.e. 41 or 43 AD. "Two Thousand Years of Coptic Christianity", Otto F.A. Meinardus, p. 28.</ref> There are official, ongoing efforts in recent times to heal this ancient breach. Already, the two recognize each other's [[baptism]]s, [[chrismation]]s, and [[marriage]]s, making intermarriage much easier.