Vicar

In the broadest sense, a vicar (from the Latin vicarius) is anyone acting as a substitute or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious"). In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant. Usually the title appears in a number of Christian ecclesiastical contexts, but in the Holy Roman Empire a local representative of the emperor, perhaps an archduke, might be styled "vicar".

Roman Catholic

In Roman Catholic canon law, a vicar is the local representative of any ecclesiastic. The Romans had used the term to describe officials subordinate to the praetorian prefects. In the early Christian churches, bishops likewise had their vicars, such as the archdeacons and archpriests, and also the rural priest, the curate who had the cure of all the souls outside the episcopal cities. The position of the Roman Catholic vicar as it evolved, is sketched in the Catholic Encyclopedia, 1908 http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15401a.htm

Related Topics:
Roman Catholic - Canon law - Curate

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The Pope uses the title Vicarius Christi, meaning, the vicar of Jesus Christ. The papacy first used this title in the eighth century; earlier they used the title vicar of St. Peter or vicarius principis apostolorum, the vicar of the chief of the apostles. The distinction in the claim for authority will be immediately apparent.

Related Topics:
Pope - Jesus - Eighth century - Peter - Apostle

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Some papal legates are honoured by the title Vicar of the Apostolic See.

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