Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church)

The quorum was first organized in 1835. At the time of the death of Joseph Smith, the quorum president was Brigham Young. Young emphasized what he said was Smith's authorization that the Quorum of the Twelve should be the central governing body of the church after Smith's death.^[6]

In 1847, the Twelve reorganized the First Presidency with Young as church president, and the Twelve took on a supporting role within a chain of command under the First Presidency,^[7] a role which continues to the present day.

The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles claims a leadership role second only to that of the First Presidency.

It is the Quorum's duty to choose a successor upon the death of a church president.^[9] The LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has some general similarities to the College of Cardinals of the Catholic Church, but there are some differences, due in part to the President and the Twelve having life tenure, which may lead to an older or infirm church president, but also provides considerable training of apostles to become the president.^[10] Church policy decisions are made unanimously, with consultation among the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve, and where appropriate, the Seventy, each of which has its own responsibility. Effort is made to ensure that the organizations are united in purpose and policy.

Each member of the quorum is accepted by the church as an apostle, as well as a "prophet, seer, and revelator." Thus, each apostle is considered to hold the "keys of the priesthood", "the rights of presidency, or the power given to man by God to direct, control, and govern God's priesthood on earth."^[11] Individually and collectively, the Twelve Apostles hold the keys and have conferred the authority to exercise all of the keys upon the church president. Thus, as outlined in the Doctrine and Covenants, only the church president is entitled to receive revelation or dictate policy for the church.

A major role of the Twelve is to appoint a successor when the President of the Church dies. Shortly after this occurs, the apostles meet in a room of the Salt Lake Temple to appoint a successor. Invariably the successor has been the most senior member of the Twelve, with seniority determined by the longest continuous duration of service. The apostles lay their hands on his head and ordain him and set him apart as President of the Church. The president then chooses two counselors in the First Presidency, who are high priests (usually apostles). The second most senior surviving apostle becomes the President of the Quorum of the Twelve. In cases when the President of the Quorum is simultaneously called to be a counselor in the First Presidency, or is unable to serve due to health considerations, an acting president is called to fill the position. This has invariably been the most senior member of the quorum who is not a member of the First Presidency.

As vacancies arise within the quorum, the Twelve and counselors in the First Presidency are invited to meet and counsel together in prayer in order to recommend to the President of the Church who will be called to fill the vacancy. The final decision rests with the President of the Church, but is formally voted on by the Twelve and the counselors in the First Presidency. The chosen man is generally ordained an apostle by the President of the Church, a counselor in the First Presidency, or the President of the Twelve. Depending on circumstances, this may occur before or after a sustaining vote is held at a church general conference. Any Melchizedek priesthood holder is eligible to be called as an apostle. Generally, new apostles have considerable experience in church government and have served faithfully as bishops, stake presidents, mission presidents, or seventies.

As a matter of policy, apostles are generally asked to retire from their professional careers and devote themselves to full-time church service, including memberships of boards and professional organizations. Some apostles receive assignments to become members of boards of church-owned for-profit corporations and trustees of the church's educational institutions. Some exceptions have been made to this rule, as when quorum member Ezra Taft Benson was permitted to serve as United States Secretary of Agriculture from 1953 to 1961 and when quorum member Reed Smoot was permitted to serve in the United States Senate from 1903 to 1933. The calling of an apostle is typically a lifetime calling.^{[citation needed]}

• List of members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church)
• List of general authorities (LDS Church)
• Presiding Bishop (LDS Church)
• Regional Representative of the Twelve
• Twelve Apostles
• Chronology of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church)