Vicar capitular

A vicar capitular is a provisional ordinary of a Roman Catholic diocese. A vicar capitular is elected by the canons of the cathedral chapter when a diocese becomes vacant unexpectedly, perhaps due to the sudden death or resignation of the bishop, if there is not a coadjutor bishop for the diocese. The chapter must choose either a bishop (most likely an auxiliary bishop of the diocese) or a priest who is over 35 years of age. If the chapter fails to elect a vicar capitular within eight days, or there is no cathedral chapter for the diocese, the duty falls to the metropolitan bishop (or the senior suffragan bishop of the province if the metropolitan see is vacant) to appoint a vicar capitular while a new bishop is chosen. If the pope appoints a provisional ordinary, he is known as an Apostolic Administrator.

Related Topics:
Ordinary - Roman Catholic - Diocese - Canon - Cathedral - Chapter - Vacant - Bishop - Coadjutor bishop - Auxiliary bishop - Priest - Metropolitan bishop - Suffragan bishop - Pope - Apostolic Administrator

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Several of the powers and duties of a bishop are withheld from a vicar capitular, either completely or until the sede vacante period has existed for over a year. Once chosen, the chapter may not remove the vicar from office, he remains until a bishop takes posession of the diocese, he is removed by the Holy See, he resigns from office, or his death.

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