01 / The Standard
The faith was handed down.
Received from the Apostles. Carried through the centuries. Entrusted to us.
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God who became man for our salvation. He entered our suffering, bore our sins upon the Cross, and rose bodily from the dead. His victory over sin and death is the foundation of our hope. The crucified and risen Lord is the reason this faith exists.
Christ entrusted His Gospel to the Apostles and sent them to make disciples of all nations. Through the Church, that same faith has reached generation after generation: proclaimed, celebrated, lived, and handed forward. We have received something greater than ourselves. It calls for our belief, our conversion, and our lives.
Now it has come down to us.
02 / The Church He established
One faith. One Church. Handed down.
The risen Christ founded His Church, commissioned the Apostles, and entrusted Peter with a particular responsibility to strengthen his brothers and tend His flock. All this authority comes from Christ and remains in His service.
The Apostles proclaimed what they had received and appointed successors to continue their ministry. Today, the bishops in communion with the Pope, the successor of Peter, continue that apostolic ministry. The Church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic: gathered by Christ, sustained by His Spirit, and sent into the world.
Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition form one sacred deposit of the Word of God. The Church’s teaching office serves that Word, faithfully guarding and explaining it. Through the centuries, the Church deepens her understanding of this living inheritance and hands it on faithfully.
03 / The faith we carry
A living faith.
Receive the faith.
Live it. Hand it on.
We believe in one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Son became man without ceasing to be God. Through His death and Resurrection, Jesus Christ opens the way to reconciliation with the Father. Salvation is His gift of grace, calling forth our faith and a life transformed by love.
Christ meets us in the sacramental life of His Church. In Baptism we are reborn in Him. In Confession He offers forgiveness and reconciliation. At Mass, His one sacrifice is made sacramentally present. In the Eucharist, He gives us His Body and Blood, soul and divinity, truly present under the appearances of bread and wine.
This faith reaches into ordinary life: Scripture read and heard, prayer offered, sins confessed, enemies forgiven, the vulnerable protected, and neighbors served. Holiness takes shape in the duties before us, in family, work, and parish. Fidelity means returning to Christ, receiving His mercy, and answering His grace with obedience and charity.
04 / What fidelity cost
What fidelity cost.
Saints Peter and Paul proclaimed Jesus Christ under persecution and sealed their witness with martyrdom. Saint Ignatius of Antioch faced death rather than abandon the Lord he confessed. Their courage began in a conviction: Christ had risen. Their allegiance belonged to Him, even at the cost of their lives.
Baldwin IV bore the suffering of leprosy and the burden of a crown. As disease weakened his body, he continued to lead and defend his kingdom. His story confronts us with the demands of duty: when suffering comes, the people entrusted to our care still need us.
Across the centuries, priests, religious, and missionaries have surrendered comfort and security. Parents and ordinary parishioners have practiced heroic charity without recognition. Their circumstances differ. The call to follow Christ reaches us all. Our answer begins with the responsibility in front of us, especially when faithfulness becomes costly.
Some defended. Some suffered. Some gave their lives. All were called to fidelity.
Read their stories05 / Why Apostolic Standard exists
More than apparel.
A standard is a banner carried openly and a measure we are bound to meet. Apostolic Standard exists to make the Catholic inheritance visible, remember those who carried it, and call us to live it faithfully. Our name joins public witness to a demand for integrity.
Our emblem bears the cross of Christ, Peter’s key, and Paul’s sword: redemption, the authority entrusted to Peter, and the Apostle’s martyrdom. They tell of the Lord we serve and the Apostles who gave their lives to proclaim Him. We honor that inheritance through faithful Catholic teaching, carefully researched stories, and artwork made with reverence.
Wear the faith openly. Know the story you carry. Let it open a conversation about Christ, and let your life give weight to your words. Pray. Receive the sacraments. Serve your neighbor. Stand firm when faithfulness costs you. Hand on the faith you have received.
06 / An invitation
Discover the faith they carried.
The martyrs gave their lives for Jesus Christ. The same Christ proclaimed by the Apostles. The same faith handed on in His Church. The same sacramental life through which He continues to give His grace.
Their witness calls for an answer from us. Whether you practice the faith, have been away, or are encountering Catholicism for the first time, take a real next step. Begin with His Gospel. Discover what His Church believes. Come to Mass. Speak with a priest about your questions and the path before you.
The Catholic faith is a life to receive and live. You are welcome to attend Mass; a priest can help you understand preparation for receiving Holy Communion. If you are considering becoming Catholic, ask a parish about the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, or OCIA.
Now it has come down to us.
