Sede vacante

In the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, sede vacante is the vacancy of the episcopal see of a particular church. It is Latin for "the seat being vacant" (the ablative absolute to sedes vacans "vacant seat"), referring to the cathedra of the particular church. This means that for a diocese the diocesan bishop has either died, resigned, transferred to a different diocese, or lost his office. If there is a coadjutor bishop for the church, then this period does not take place as a coadjutor bishop immediately succeeds to the episcopal see.

Related Topics:
Canon law - Roman Catholic Church - Episcopal see - Particular church - Latin - Ablative absolute - Cathedra - Diocese - Bishop - Coadjutor bishop

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During this period, all vicars general and episcopal vicars lose their office unless they are themselves bishops. The governance of the particular church is then entrusted to the cathedral chapter, who then elects a vicar capitular. In particular churches without a cathedral chapter, the college of the chief advisors of the diocesan bishop (known as consultors) elect an administrator sede vacante. Both officers serve the same function: they possess ordinary power over the particular church until a newly appointed/elected diocesan bishop takes possession of the diocese. Until the election of the vicar capitular takes place, the senior auxiliary bishop, if there is one, acts as administrator.

Related Topics:
Vicars general - Cathedral - Chapter - Vicar capitular - Ordinary - Auxiliary bishop

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The choice of the college or chapter is limited to bishops and priests older than 35 years. If the chapter or college fails to elect an administrator within eight days, the metropolitan archbishop (for a suffragan see) or senior suffragan bishop (for a metropolitan see) may appoint the administrator for the particular church. The Pope has been known to, on occasion, preempt the election or appointment of the vicar capitular. The officer he appoints is then known as an Apostolic Administrator sede vacante and has the same powers as the vicar capitular.

Related Topics:
Metropolitan archbishop - Suffragan bishop - Pope - Apostolic Administrator

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