Independent Catholic churches

Independent Catholic Churches is the name for a few Christian churches consider themselves to have the traditions of the Catholic Church but are not recognised by the Holy See. Almost all of them consider their bishops to have apostolic succession in which their legitimacy comes from an apostle.

Most Independent Catholic Churches were created after 1870. The first of them is the Old Catholic Church, which does not agree that the Pope is infallible, in religious matters, as was was agreed at the First Vatican Council (1869-1870). Most other Independent Catholic Churches later split from the Old Catholic Church.

A notable exception is the Society of St. Pius X, a grouping of traditionalist priests that was founded in 1970 to protest the decisions of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).

Communities such as the Eastern Orthodox, the Oriental Orthodox Church, and the Coptic Orthodox Church do not have the problem of recognition, as they are at least partially recognised by the Catholic Church.