Legate

A legate is a person who acts as a representative or envoy for a sovereign, government, or religious authority. The term comes from the Latin legatus, meaning envoy or deputy, and has been used in various forms across history and institutions.

In ancient Rome, legatus referred to officials entrusted with military or administrative duties. Legates could command a legion or govern a province on behalf of the emperor or a higher magistrate. Notable forms included legatus legionis, the commander of a legion, and legatus Augusti pro praetore, a governor of imperial provinces with both civil and military authority.

In the Catholic Church, a legate is a papal representative charged with carrying out the pope’s authority in a particular matter or mission. Types include apostolic legates, who act with papal mandate, and legates a latere, who hold full delegated authority as envoys. The term is distinct from nuncios, who serve as ambassadors with a broader diplomatic role.

In modern usage, legate can refer to any official envoy or representative of a government, organization, or religious authority. It is often encountered in historical contexts or formal titles, such as “special legate” or “legate to the council.” The noun legatee describes a party who inherits a legacy, which is a different term; legate as a verb, meaning to appoint as legate, is rare in contemporary usage. Related concepts include delegation, legation, and emissary.