I really don't care about the RCC and their man-made theology or even their imaginary history. The papacy is about as solid as Moroni in Mormonism.
Read the Bible and find out for yourself. Here are some facts:
Acts 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
--1. The church was not organized; it was scattered, spread abroad throughout many different regions. In fact there was no "Church". There were only "churches" local churches, like the ones Paul started. The Bible speaks nothing of denominations.
Acts 14:23-26 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia: And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
2.--The apostles "ordained" (appointed or chose) elders or pastors in every church that they started. Paul started over one hundred churches in the three missionary churches that he went on. There was no "apostolic authority" being passed on. These were all independent churches. Look at the different cities being mentioned which they passed through doing the same thing in each city.
Titus 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
--Titus was appointed by Paul to take care of Crete. There he was to train men to be pastors of local churches in Crete. This is the method that he was to use:
2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
--He was to teach faithful men who would in turn be able to teach others also.
1 Timothy 1:3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
3.--Timothy was the pastor at Ephesus.
1 Corinthians 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
--Paul sent Apollos to be the pastor at Corinth. He had trained him as he had trained Timothy.
Thomas went to India.
James, the brother of our Lord was the pastor of the church at Jerusalem.
John was exiled to Patmos and eventually martyred as he was boiled in a great cauldron of oil (so tradition says).
Matthew suffered martyrdom being slain with the sword in Ethiopia.
Luke was hanged upon a tree in Greece.
Mark died in Alexandria after being dragged through the streets of the city.
James was thrown from a pinnacle of the temple and then beaten to death with a club.
Bartholomew was skinned alive.
Andrew was bound to a cross from whence he preached to his persecutors until he died.
Jude was shot to death with arrows.
Matthias was first stoned and then beheaded.
Barnabas was stoned to death at Salonica.
The apostles didn't have successors. They didn't live plush, luxurious lives. They were persecuted under Nero. They died martyrs' deaths. There wasn't any succession of bishops and popes. Such a theory is ludicrous and one dreamt up by the Catholics.
