second apostolic succession

There are in a sense two forms of apostolic succession within the life of the Church. First there is the visible succession of the hierarchy, the unbroken series of bishops in different cities . . . Alongside this, largely hidden, existing on a “charismatic” rather than an official level, there is secondly the apostolic succession of the spiritual fathers and mothers in each generation of the Church, the succession of the saints. …

Bishop Kallistos Ware of Diokleia in Spiritual Treasure in Filthy Rags: An Introduction to the Paisian Tradition through the Optina Elders, 5.